Dry Coconut

You can use dried coconut in place of fresh in baked goods, such as cookies or cakes, as well as savory recipes, such as coconut shrimp. The advantage to dried coconut is that it stores longer than fresh, which means you can keep it on hand in case you need it. You can buy dried coconut in the bakery section of most grocery stores but you can also make your own dry coconut flakes.

Steps

Oven drying

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
2. Drill the coconut through the eyes using a 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) drill bit. Pour the coconut water into a dish or cup. The water should be clear. Cloudy or colored water means the coconut is bad. You can discard the water or drink it if desired.
3. Put the coconut directly on the rack in the preheated oven. Heat the coconut for 20 minutes.
4. Remove the coconut from the oven and wrap it in a towel, creating a sack. Hold the end of the towel to keep the coconut stable and hit the coconut several times with a hammer to break it up.
5. Pry the flesh out of the coconut with a strong knife, such as a paring knife. The flesh may have a thin brown skin attached from where it was touching the shell. Remove the skin with a vegetable peeler.
6. Reduce the oven temperature to 250 degrees F (121 degrees C).
7. Shred the coconut pieces in a food processor and spread them onto a cookie sheet. Dry the coconut in the oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
8. Let cool and transfer the dried coconut to an airtight container. Store the coconut in a cool, dry place.

Dehydrating

1. Bust up the coconut with a hammer.
2. Peel the innards out of the coconut.
3. Use a cheese grater to grate the flesh. use the coarse side of the grater.
4. If you want the dried coconut to be a little sweet, put some sugar on it (1 - 2 teaspoons).
5. Dehydrate for about 8 hours at 135 degrees F.
6. Bag the dried coconut. Use an airtight container or an airtight resealable bag.

Tips

• If you want sweetened coconut, dissolve 1 tsp. (4.9 ml) of sugar in 8 oz. (236.6 ml) of water. Pour the sweetened water over the coconut and let it soak for 30 minutes. Drain off the excess water and bake the coconut on the baking sheet for 15 to 25 minutes.
• If your grocery store does not have whole coconuts, you can purchase wet shredded coconut, spread it on a baking sheet and bake at 250 degrees F (121 degrees C) for 10 to 15 minutes in the oven to dry it.
• To use dry coconut in place of fresh, soak it in water to reconstitute it.

Things You'll Need

• Fresh coconut
• Drill
• 3/8 inch (9.5 mm) drill bit
• Hammer
• Paring knife
• Vegetable peeler
• Food processor
• Cookie sheet
• Airtight container

Related Articles

• Dry Age Steak at Home with Drybags
• Make Dried Fruit
• Dry Cranberries
• Use a Food Dehydrator

Sources and Citations

• On Cooking: A Textbook of Culinary Fundamentals (5th Edition)"; Sarah R. Labensky et al; 2010
• http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/coconut.html

See also

• Dry Gourds
• Dehydrate Meat
• Dry Dill
• Dry Figs
• Dry Oregano
• Make Dried Fruit
• Use a Food Dehydrator
• Dry Apples
• Dry Rosemary
• Dehydrate Foods

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• Make a Coconut Shell Hanging Basket