Here’s a step by step guide in preparing a coconut oil.
Step 1: Obtain mature coconut, you can easily find them at grocery stores or specialized markets. Crack the coconut ,using the back of a heavy knife or a hammer to crack open the coconut, drain the water into a separate container for a later use.
Step 2: Remove the coconut meat ,use a knife to separate the white coconut meat from the shell.
Step 3: Grate the coconut using grater or food processor , the smaller the pieces the easier and more efficient the extraction process will be.
Step 4: Place the grated coconut meat in a bowl and pour a cup of warm water over it . let it sit and soak for a few minutes, Squeeze the mixture with your hand to extract the coconut milk. repeat the process until you have extracted as much milk as possible.
Step 5: Allow the coconut to sit for about 24 hours, to enable the cream rise to the top. Skim off the cream layer and transfer it to a separate container , this is where the oil is found.
Step 6: Heat the coconut cream in a sauce pan or a pot in a low or medium heat, stir constantly to prevent burning or sticking, as the cream heats up, the water content will evaporate, leaving behind the oil and some coconut solid, once the oil has separated from the solids and appear clear and golden in color, remove it from the heat and let it cool slightly and then strain it through to remove any coconut particles.
Transfer the strained coconut oil to a clean , airtight container. allow it to cool completely before sealing it.