Silk Grass Farms Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil: How and Why to Use This Essential Belizean Ingredient
Discover what makes Silk Grass Farms cold-pressed coconut oil a good choice for health and flavor — and some of our favorite ways to use this traditional Belizean ingredient.
With its tropical climate and fertile soil, Belize has been a flourishing home to the coconut palm — originally from the coasts of Africa and the Indian Ocean — since it was introduced to the Caribbean by early settlers. There is a long history of coconut cultivation in the region. In the late 1800s, Sir Isaac Mortar, known as the “Coconut King,” was one of the first black Belizeans to become a millionaire by planting coconuts. Because of this history, coconuts are deeply integrated into Belizean culture; and coconut oil, a natural, minimally processed product of the coconut fruit, has a wide array of traditional uses including culinary, skincare, and cosmetic applications.
Coconut oil was one of the first products we started making when we founded Silk Grass Farms in 2019. Today, we have the capacity to process and package about 1,400 gallons of coconut oil a day. One aspect of Silk Grass Farms’s mission centers on becoming a producer of All Things Coconut as part of our work to support Belize’s agricultural economy. Covering a significant portion of the main farm — approximately 1,000 acres out of the total 3,000 cultivated acres — coconuts are an essential crop at Silk Grass Farms.
Read on to learn what makes Silk Grass Farms cold-pressed coconut oil a superior product, and discover a few traditional Belizean ways to use it for food and personal-care recipes.
Silk Grass Farms coconut oil is available in a variety of sizes, from convenient 50-mL bottles to family-sized 1-gallon containers.
Coconut Oil Recipes: Food & Wellness
Cold-pressed coconut oil is a versatile ingredient that offers benefits for both cooking and personal care. Our all-natural, heat- and chemical-free processing methods ensure Silk Grass Farms’ coconut oil is safe and healthy to eat and apply to the skin.
Coconut Oil in the Kitchen: Whether you're frying, sautéing, or baking, Silk Grass Farms coconut oil can elevate your culinary creations. While it is appropriate for any kind of cuisine, we especially love how coconut oil enhances the flavor of traditional Belizean dishes including coconut white rice, curry, fried fish, stewed chicken, and fried beans. In baked goods, coconut oil lends a subtly sweet coconut flavor.
Coconut Oil for Personal Care: Thanks to its moisturizing and anti-microbial properties, coconut oil is a natural healing agent for skin and hair, especially when the weather gets cooler. Coconut oil can also be added into beauty products including scrubs, makeup removers, soaps, and other skin care products. Spas use our oil as a massage oil.
Here are a few of our favorite coconut oil recipes. Click on the name to expand and view the full recipe.
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A staple of Belizean cuisine, soft stew beans are a hearty, healthful component to a variety of meals. This vegetarian version is flavored with onions, garlic, cumin, thyme, and recado rojo paste — a spice blend common in Belize and Mexico that typically includes annatto, oregano, cumin, clove, cinnamon, black pepper, allspice, garlic, and salt. Non-vegetarian preparations often incorporate a pig's tail or ham hock.
Ingredients
2 pounds (about 4 cups) dried kidney beans (black or pinto beans also work)
Water
1 tablespoon baking soda
2 tablespoons Silk Grass Farms cold-pressed coconut oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon ground cumin
2 teaspoon recado rojo paste, also known as achiote paste (dissolved in a small amount of water)
3 to 4 fresh thyme leaves, minced (or 1 teaspoon ground oregano)
1 tablespoon salt (or to taste)
1 teaspoon black pepper (or to taste)
Instructions
Sift through dried beans to remove small stones and debris.
Rinse dried beans to remove any dust residue.
Place beans in a medium bowl, and add water until beans are submerged about 2 inches; discard any beans that float to the top.
Stir 1 tablespoon baking soda into the bowl of water and beans, and let them soak for 3 to 4 hours (or overnight in the refrigerator).
Rinse beans thoroughly and drain.
Place rinsed and drained dry beans into a slow cooker and submerge with water about 2 inches.
Set slow cooker to high for 6 to 8 hours (or until beans are soft).
Season beans: After beans are soft, stir in coconut oil, onion, garlic, cumin, recado, thyme (or oregano), salt, and pepper.
Reduce slow cooker heat to low and let sit for 30 minutes to infuse spices.
Serve with coconut rice or tortillas, or puree to make refried beans!
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Fry jacks are a traditional Belizean puffed breakfast bread that comes together in about 30 minutes. Try fry jacks paired with eggs, beans, cheese, and honey for a classic Belizean breakfast, or serve them with berries and honey or seasoned fresh tomato slices for a lighter meal.
Ingredients
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons Silk Grass Farms cold-pressed coconut oil (refrigerate to form solid coconut oil for shortening substitute)
½ cup water (room temperature)
1 cup Silk Grass Farms cold-pressed coconut oil for frying
Instructions
Sift together flour, baking powder and salt.
Incorporate solid coconut oil by rubbing oil into flour with fingers until it is evenly distributed and flaky.
Add water and knead until dough is very soft and workable, but not sticky.
Let dough sit for 10 to 15 minutes in a warm place (not in the refrigerator).*
Separate dough into 4 round balls.
Roll each piece flat on a floured surface and cut into halves or quarters after rolled out.
Let rolled dough sit for another minute or so after rolling out flat*.
Heat coconut oil in a frying pan until hot (don’t use excessively high heat to avoid smoking).
Place the rolled out and cut fry jacks into the hot oil one at a time and fry until brown and puffed, flipping once.
Remove from the pan, let cool slightly, and enjoy warm.
*Steps #4 and #7 are important to getting the fry jack to puff, so don’t skip these wait times. Dough must sit and relax after kneading and before frying for optimal puffing.
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This rich hair mask can help moisturize and clarify your tresses from scalp to tip. If you wish, mix in a few drops of a hair-beneficial essential oil for a more fragrant product. Mix up this mask once a week and enjoy soft, manageable hair.
Ingredients
2 eggs
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons lime juice
1 tablespoon Silk Grass Farms cold-pressed coconut oil
Skin-safe/hair beneficial essential oil such as rosemary, chamomile or cedarwood (optional)
Instructions
Mix all ingredients except essential oil in a blender until smooth and frothy (add a splash of water if too thick).
Stir in a few drops of essential oil (optional).
Apply entire mixture to hair from ends to scalp and let sit for 20 minutes.
Rinse and condition as usual.
What Makes Our Coconuts the Highest Quality
The process of creating Silk Grass Farms cold-pressed coconut oil begins on our carefully tended, 1,000 acres of coconut groves where we grow our trees without herbicides and pesticides. The coconuts are then handpicked and delivered to our onsite 130,000-square-foot factory for processing. Our careful and conscientious production process is designed to honor and uphold the coconut fruit’s many health qualities and its delicate natural flavor.
Why Cold-Pressed Coconut Oil is Better: Our cold-pressed coconut oil is made without heat or added chemicals. A hydraulic press squeezes the freshly grated coconut (no water added) and collects the pure coconut cream at room temperature. Then, the coconut cream goes into a centrifuge that naturally separates the solids and other liquids from the pure oil. From there, the oil is filtered to remove any traces of water, residues, or other impurities that cause cloudiness and sediments, and reduce shelf life. Finally, the oil is carefully packaged to maintain freshness and quality. Silk Grass Farms coconut oil is available in a variety of sizes, from convenient 50-mL bottles to family-sized 1-gallon containers. We also sell coconut oil in bulk quantities as an ingredient in other manufacturers’ products.
Enhanced Health & Flavor: The cold-pressed production method prevents exposure to high temperatures and eliminates impurities without adding chemicals, a process which is essential to preserving coconut oil’s excellent nutrients, rich flavor, and inherent health benefits. Its distinguishing trait is the oil’s ability to solidify below 70°F, a testament to its preserved natural properties. Cold-pressed coconut oil offers myriad health benefits. With rich Medium Chain Triglyceride (MCT) content, it may act as an immediate energy source, making it popular with athletes and suitable for ketogenic diets. Coconut oil is also full of antioxidants; is cholesterol- and trans-fat-free; and may encourage fat-burning and reduce hunger.
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Mixed with exfoliating sugar or salt and any skin-safe essential oil of your choosing, this super simple scrub makes for a moisturizing, fragrant treat for dry skin. Whip up a batch for yourself and a second for a loved one! You don’t need specific measurements for this easy blend: Simply combine two parts sugar or salt to one part coconut oil, and add a few drops of your favorite essential oil.
Ingredients
2 parts coarse brown sugar or coarse sea salt
1 part Silk Grass Farms cold-pressed coconut oil
A few drops of a skin-safe essential oil such as lavender, chamomile, sandalwood or ylang ylang (optional)
Instructions
In a medium bowl, mix together sugar or salt and coconut oil.
Add a few drops of your favorite essential oil. Mix to combine thoroughly.
Transfer to a container with a lid.
Use in the shower or bath to exfoliate and moisturize skin. Store out of direct sunlight.
Our factory has the capacity to process and package about 1,400 gallons of coconut oil a day.