Anyone have any joy burning coconuts?

[Boucaneer]

Has anyone had any joy burning coconut shell and coconut husk?

In preperation to my trip abroad I bought a couple of coconuts to try in my biostove. After chopping all around the shell with the blade of my knife then using a big heavy chop with the back of the blade the coconut shell halved and I removed the white coconut innards.

I used the hairy husk for kindling and set alight with a match, the whole lot caught very quickly in a red ember glow but no flame and quickly smouldered into ash in about a Minuit or two. Hmmm!

Next I smashed the coconut shell into little pieces and tried to set fire to a little piece but again it didn't want to catch.

Has anyone had any experience with using coconuts as a fuel?

I know they make coconut charcoal but I really would just like to find a few coconut shells on the road or wherever and use them straight away.

Any tips would be greatly appriciated! Cheers!

 

[Gray]

Errr pretty sure you can burn untreated shells readily. They burn really hot and the charcoal can also be used for cooking. Not an expert on this but I'm sure I'll be corrected if I'm wrong lol

 

[Harvestman]

Not sure I'd want to start a fire with them (although I've had success with fibres removed from the outer husk as tinder/kindling) but once your fire is going the shell burns perfectly well.

 

[carabao]

We use it at home in Thailand exactly as you have the husk we use for kindle but the shell has to be left to dry for a good couple of weeks in the sun otherwise it won't catch. Maybe in an airing cupboard for a week or two in the uk will be ok. If you have really fresh coconut with the green on as well something really nice to do is put it whole on the fire for about an hour or two, the fire must be mellow and not roaring as it will explode, then drink the water and eat the flesh really good adds more taste and flavour more than just drinking raw

 

[the interceptor boy]

also if you to get drunk very quickly cold or warm from a fresh coconut juice with rum/ vodka, you drunk in no time. don't consume too much of the old milky juice from a very dry coconut, will have A detrimental effect on your bowls, extremely laxative, you will permanently glued to the toilet. on hot days.
enjoy ha-ha.
cheers the interceptor boy.

 

[Boucaneer]

Hi, Thanks all!

yeah, I remember Lofty Wismsan saying about Drinking them their old dry coconuts.

Thanks for all the advice!

Maybe I didn't have enough coconut husk to start with. They leave little on the ones at the shops. I will buy some more and try again. Will also build a fire using twigs and add shell once it gets going good.
By the way anyone know a good bushcraft way to get coconut oil for a coconut quick or do something good with the coconut edible flesh?

I'm not a big fan of it raw! I might try frying it! Any sugestions?

Thanks!

 

[Elen Sentier]

We use it at home in Thailand exactly as you have the husk we use for kindle but the shell has to be left to dry for a good couple of weeks in the sun otherwise it won't catch. Maybe in an airing cupboard for a week or two in the uk will be ok. If you have really fresh coconut with the green on as well something really nice to do is put it whole on the fire for about an hour or two, the fire must be mellow and not roaring as it will explode, then drink the water and eat the flesh really good adds more taste and flavour more than just drinking raw

Hubby concurs with the green-in-fire delicious eating, he was brought up in West Africa and used to enjoy. Suspect the woodburner might get co-opted now he's been reminded .

 

[Elen Sentier]

also if you to get drunk very quickly cold or warm from a fresh coconut juice with rum/ vodka, you drunk in no time. don't consume too much of the old milky juice from a very dry coconut, will have A detrimental effect on your bowls, extremely laxative, you will permanently glued to the toilet. on hot days.
enjoy ha-ha.
cheers the interceptor boy.

Ta for the tip! I don't remember reading that in "Coral Island" (about 55 yrs ago - ye gods, how time flies!), where I learned about coconuts from inimitable Jack Martin

 

[carabao]

Hi, Thanks all!

yeah, I remember Lofty Wismsan saying about Drinking them their old dry coconuts.

Thanks for all the advice!

Maybe I didn't have enough coconut husk to start with. They leave little on the ones at the shops. I will buy some more and try again. Will also build a fire using twigs and add shell once it gets going good.
By the way anyone know a good bushcraft way to get coconut oil for a coconut quick or do something good with the coconut edible flesh?

I'm not a big fan of it raw! I might try frying it! Any sugestions?

put some oil in a wok when hot add either red or green Thai curry paste in stir for a few minutes you will see a change add meat or veg or both stir make sure all the veg and meat are coated and the coconut flesh in the flesh should be cut into spoon size chunks stir all together when meat is cooked stir with rice or noodles. Green beans are really good in this as well plus you add more chilli as you like

 

[the interceptor boy]

fresh coconut chutney with 1 apple and 1 orange?
ut
peel Apple and orange: then either put in a blender or pounded in a mushy powder. put to one side.

1 coconut full meat, grated or pounded!

handfuls of mint leaves
2 cloves of garlic
2 spoons of olive oils
1 Teaspoon of water
pinch of salt
1or 2 green chillies or depends how hot you want it
put in a blender or mixed everything together.

good with fish, cooked lentils, grilled chickens, with bread,or just rice. lamb, or beef curry. or pork
have A go. simple.
cheers the interceptor boy.

 

[Boucaneer]

fresh coconut chutney with 1 apple and 1 orange?
ut
peel Apple and orange: then either put in a blender or pounded in a mushy powder. put to one side.

1 coconut full meat, grated or pounded!

handfuls of mint leaves
2 cloves of garlic
2 spoons of olive oils
1 Teaspoon of water
pinch of salt
1or 2 green chillies or depends how hot you want it
put in a blender or mixed everything together.

good with fish, cooked lentils, grilled chickens, with bread,or just rice. lamb, or beef curry. or pork
have A go. simple.
cheers the interceptor boy.

Nice! And the other recipe too! Luckaly I have a mini stainless steel camping wok I bought from Silvermans years ago that I will be taking. it makes a great eating bowl. I eat out of it everyday from wheatabix to soup and fish. It gives me that Papillon feeling!

I take it the above recipe is for frying right, or marinading a fresh fish?

Glad I dont have to waste my coconut flesh if I have to buy coconuts for cooking using the shell/husk for fuel!

Thanks!

 

[the interceptor boy]

fried fish, cooked fish, with a tomato sauce, baked fish, curry fish, but it goes well with rice. or french bread.