Smoking with coconut husks

[N227GB]

A few months ago Spinaker mentioned a restaurant in Belize using coconut husks for smoking meats. This sounded intriguing. A couple of weeks ago I saw some husks from busted open coconuts in the bushes by the clubhouse pool.

I took them home and let them dry out. If you work really hard you can pull off string but this turns into tinder that burns fast. So I sawed them into small pieces on the band saw.




So here are the results. Boneless skinless thighs that were dusted with Henrik KC pork rub put in the WSJ equipped with GrillGrates. They were outstanding! I’d describe the smell and flavor similar to a fruit tree.



The landscaping service regularly cuts down coconuts from the palm trees, so these are easy to source. What I’m wondering is if the base of the branches (not the leaves) are also good for smoking. These are even easier to find.

[Henrik]

Very cool! Now that's an awesome rub

I assume the branches are just as good, after all, it's wood from the same trees. I guess a quick smoke (!) test and smell should be a good guide.

[N227GB]

I think between Huskee 's Shawsh with the fresh orange juice and smoking with coconuts and palm trees I've finally have the Florida style BBQ I've been trying to develop.

[JGo37]

I don't know if I agree with the assumption until tried - an apple is from an apple tree, but I wouldn't try to eat the tree.

[EdF]

Those pieces of chicken(?) look incredible!

[N227GB]

Yup, boneless skinless thighs. $1.69 a pound at Aldi the other. No big loss if the turned out poorly. :P

[Ahumadora]

It's great when you can find and adapt what is available locally to make great que!

[N227GB]

It sure is!

[Huskee]

Honored to have a small part in your BBQ. Really cool post!

[N227GB]

I'd somewhat successfully tried a riff on a vinegar-tomato based sauce, but yours knocks it out of the park. Next week I'm doing a cook for about six people and I'll get some local fresh squeezed. I've been using those single-serve bottles of Tropicana since they are the exact amount needed.

[HawkerXP]

Being from non palm tree zone. I am amazed by how much they drop all year long. How great that would be to find cherry branches sitting in our yards weekly!

[SmokeyGator]

Here in south Florida, finding coconuts is easy. Don’t even need a swallow to transport them. I should try this

[JGo37]

Will one of you PLEASE start selling the husks on eBay or Amazon?? I'm in MO for cripes sake...

[N227GB]

Apparently, there is a use for coconut husks in orchid gardening. Only problem could be that the chips are too small and they end up acting as tinder.

https://www.amazon.com/Coconut-Husk-Chip-Fiber-Orchids/dp/B004J19IWM

[JGo37]

N227GB looks like the compressed bricks are a closer to the target solution.

[GreenBBQ]

Hi there , we manufacture coconut shell briketts in India . They are widely available in Europe and now about to introduce in the US.
we make them from mostly the Shell ( the hard brown but) and the Husk ( what you are Talking about here or the Frond( the branch tht you are mentioning here .
in India they cook directly with the shell donuts worth you giving that a go for Smoke flavouring. The Husk can burn quickly in its original form but for Smoke it’s fine . In charcoal format it makes a good charcoal and when mixed with the denser shell a great charcoal .
A lot falling to the ground is relative when you consider how many do so in India , literally millions per month ! The Coconut tree is known as the Miracle tree because of the many products it produces without needing to be felled , now the very last waste material is being turned into high quality charcoal briketts and even when the BBQ is over the small amount of ash can go directly on the garden .