2 Simple Ways to Dry Fresh Coconut Meat

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At-home techniques for drying and shredding coconut

Co-authored by Gladys Jahn

Last Updated: October 31, 2024 References

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Oven drying

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Dehydrating

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Video

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Q&A

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Tips

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Things You'll Need

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.

Method 1

Method 1 of 2:

Oven drying

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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.^{[1]
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Heat the coconut for 20 minutes.
Hold the end of the towel to keep the coconut stable and hit the coconut several times with a hammer to break it up.
The flesh may have a thin brown skin attached from where it was touching the shell. Remove the skin with a vegetable peeler.^{[2]
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Spread the coconut pieces on a cookie sheet in an even layer. Place the cookie sheet in the oven and dry the coconut for 10-15 more minutes.^{[3]
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Store the coconut in a cool, dry place, preferably your fridge. Your shredded coconut can be safely stored for 6 to 8 months.

Method 2

Method 2 of 2:

Dehydrating

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Use a cheese grater to grate the flesh. Rub the flesh against the coarse side of the grater, taking care not to cut yourself.
- If you want the dried coconut to be a little sweet, sprinkle 1-2 tsp of sugar on it.
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Use an airtight container or an airtight resealable bag. Store the coconut in a cool, dry place (you can also put it in the fridge). Shredded dry coconut will stay fresh for 6 to 8 months.

Community Q&A

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Question

How can dried coconut be used in making coconut oil?

Community Answer

Most dry coconut powder sold in the market will already have its oils removed by centrifuging. Even if you manage to find coconut powder which still has the oil, it will require industrial equipment (a centrifuge).

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Can I dry the coconut in direct sunlight? Any side effects of this method?

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You can but the sun's UV rays will "remove" most of the nutritional value.

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Question

I live in the tropics and am surrounded by coconut trees. I need to dry them for making oil. When and how is the best technique for picking and storing to dry?

Community Answer

You can't get oil out of dried coconuts, they need to be spun in a centrifuge within a few hours of picking and opening. Ripe opened coconut goes bad very quickly in tropical heat, it needs to be shredded and spun as soon as possible. You can use the shredded coconut to dry out afterward for desserts, etc., but it won't have any oils left after going through the centrifuge.

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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.

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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.

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To use dry coconut in place of fresh, soak it in water to reconstitute it.

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