Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Using the chopper
• Method 2 of 3: Using the cold press method
• Method 3 of 3: Boil the coconut
• Tips
• Necessities
• Chopper method
• Cold press method
• Cooking method

Coconut oil has many health benefits and can be used for baking as well as smearing on your skin and hair. Virgin coconut oil is the best quality, naturally produced and free from harmful chemicals. Learn here how to make extra virgin coconut oil with the chopper, the cold press method and the cooking method.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Using the chopper

1. Open a coconut with a sharp cleaver. Rather use a ripe, brown coconut than a green young one.
2. Scrape the meat from the coconut. Use a sharp knife or a sturdy metal spoon.
3. Cut the coconut meat into small pieces.
4. Place the pieces in a food processor.
5. Set the food processor on medium speed and let it run until the coconut flesh is fine. Add a little water to make it easier to chop up if needed.
6. Filter the coconut milk. Place a coffee filter or cheesecloth on a pot with a wide opening. Pour or spoon a little coconut mixture onto the filter. Wrap the cheesecloth around the coconut mixture and squeeze the milk into the pot.
   • Squeeze hard to get every drop out.
   • Repeat this process until you have used all of the coconut.
7. Let the jar sit for at least 24 hours. While standing, the coconut milk and oil will separate, and a layer of curdled coconut milk will form on the surface.
   • Place the jar in the refrigerator so that the curd will set more quickly if desired.
   • If you don't put it in the fridge, put it in a cool room.
8. Scoop the rennet out of the jar with a spoon and throw it away. The pure extra virgin coconut oil is left in the jar.

Method 2 of 3: Using the cold press method

1. Start with desiccated coconut. Buy a bag of unsweetened coconut shavings or flakes from the supermarket or toko. If you want to start with fresh coconut meat, cut the meat into pieces and put it in a drying oven for 24 hours.
   • You can also use your regular oven on the lowest temperature to dry the coconut meat. Cut it into small pieces, put it on a baking tray and bake for 8 hours at the lowest temperature, or until you see it completely dried out.
   • If you are buying pre-packaged desiccated coconut, be sure to use shavings rather than grated as they can clog your juicer.
2. Put the coconut in the juicer. Squeeze the desiccated coconut into small portions, as too much at once can clog the centrifuge. The juicer extracts the oil and cream from the fibers. Keep working the coconut until all the flakes have gone through the juicer.
3. Process the coconut again. The juicer won't have been able to get all the oil out the first time, so put the coconut flakes back in the juicer to get every drop out.
4. Put the coconut oil in a jar and put it in a warm place. Wait 24 hours for the cream to sink into the bottom of the jar. The pure coconut oil is on top.
5. Spoon the oil into another container. When the oil and cream are separated, you can scoop all the oil with a spoon and put it in a new container. It is now ready to use.

Method 3 of 3: Boil the coconut

1. Heat 4 cups of water. Put the water in a saucepan and put it on the fire. Reduce the heat to medium-high and wait for the water to steam.
2. Grate the flesh of 2 coconuts. Rather use a ripe, brown coconut than a young green one. Open the coconut, scoop out the meat and grate it in a bowl.
3. Puree the coconut and the water. Put the grated coconut in a blender. Pour the hot water on the coconut and put the lid on the blender. Hold the lid tight and mash the coconut with the water until it is a smooth mixture.
   • Do not fill the blender more than halfway with hot water. If you have a small blender, do it in two batches. Overfilling the blender can cause the lid to fly off.
   • Hold the lid while you mash the mixture; otherwise it can also fly off.
4. Strain the coconut liquid. Place a cheesecloth or a fine sieve over a bowl. Pour the pureed coconut through the cloth or sieve so that the coconut milk ends up in the bowl. Use a spatula to press down on the pulp and get as much liquid out of it as possible.
   • If you find it easier, you can also pick up the cheesecloth and squeeze it above the bowl.
   • To get even more liquid out, you can pour some more hot water over it and squeeze it again.
5. Boil the coconut liquid. Put it in a saucepan and turn the heat to medium-low. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, until all the water has evaporated and the cream has separated from the oil and turned brown.
   • The process from cooking to thickening can take more than an hour. Be patient and keep stirring.
   • If you'd rather not boil the mixture, you can also let it separate on its own. Put the liquid in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit at room temperature for 24 hours, then put it in the refrigerator so that the oil hardens and gets on top. Then separate the oil from the liquid.

Tips

• Virgin coconut oil is said to have over 200 health benefits. Eating a spoonful every day increases your resistance, lowers your blood pressure, soothes joint pain and may even help prevent cancer. You can also apply it to your hair or skin to moisturize and repair damaged cells and hair follicles. It helps with diaper rash, dry skin and insect bites. Other benefits include improving blood circulation, restoring thyroid function, improved digestion, and weight loss.
• You can recognize a ripe coconut by its hard, brown skin. Coconuts that are not yet fully ripe are a lighter brown. Young coconuts are green. You get more oil from a ripe coconut than from a young one.
• The cold pressing method does not use heat. As a result, the oil retains more of its healthy properties, anti-oxidants and vitamins.
• If you freeze and thaw the coconut pieces before putting them in the food processor, the meat will be softer and more moisture will come out.
• Extra virgin coconut oil can be used to make delicious light pastries such as scones and shortcrust pastry. It adds a delicate vanilla-like flavor and is much healthier than traditional fats such as margarine and butter.
• Coconut oil has long been taboo, mainly due to the alarming fact that it contains almost 90 percent saturated fat. This has recently been rectified because it has not been processed or chemically treated, as is the case with many hardened fats, thus preserving all of the healthy plant nutrients. If you use it in moderation, coconut oil is even healthier than olive oil.

Necessities

Chopper method

• 1 fresh, ripe coconut
• Cleaver
• Sharp blade
• Food processor
• Coffee filter or cheesecloth
• Glass jar with wide opening
• Spoon

Cold press method

• Drying oven
• Juicer

Cooking method

• Blender
• Fine sieve or cheesecloth