Does luscious bone marrow drive you crazy with desire? This gourmet treat couldn't be easier to make at home. The butcher does the hard work (slicing the bone in half) and then you simply roast it and serve it with a simple herb salad. This is for when you want restaurant quality food at home without fuss!
I've wanted to make this bone marrow for years. Ever since I interviewed Fergus Henderson in 2009 and he mentioned serving bone marrow. He was what many say responsible for the resurgence of bone marrow and secondary cuts. His restaurant St John focuses on cuts like tongue, liver, pork cheek and ox heart.
I actually saw some bone marrow at the supermarket, took it home and promptly broke my knife trying to cut it in half. That was one of my less than stellar cooking moments. And it only took me 3 years to do it again, prompted by a desire to eat it.
This time I pre-ordered it from the butcher. It doesn't take long and they arrived the next day. They showed me each bone-it was enormous and they cut off the ends and then sliced in half lengthways for me (I'd truly be a fool if I tried slicing it again and the bone saw makes such a loud noise I realised that there was no way I could have ever cut it!). I made the roasted bone marrow and it was done and dusted in less than 20 minutes and I gave some to Mr NQN.
He can be rather funny when it comes to fatty foods. Because marrow really defines unctuous. You grab a little spoon and scoop out the jellied, luscious fat and spread it on toast. The only way I will get him to eat it is if I top it with herbs. That's also how I like to eat it. He is Jack Sprat and once fresh herbs like sorrel and parsley and lemon juice are added he adores it. Go figure! "What is this? It's great," he said surprising me.
Something also surprised me about him recently. There's a full blown bromance going on between Nina's fiance Garth and Mr NQN. They're almost lost in the own world because they bonded over an augmented reality game called Ingress and sometimes they talk in code and only hear each other.
Nina and I realised that this had happened while we were all out at lunch together. When Garth went to pour water Mr NQN removed the lid from the bottle. "That's why we make a good team, you complete me," says Garth while Nina and I fall about laughing. "Are you going to share a strand of spaghetti too?" she quipped. Mr NQN may even share his bone marrow toast with Garth!
So tell me Dear Reader, are you a bone marrow fan? Do you like unctuous, fatty food or do you prefer leaner food? Do you enjoy eating secondary cuts and if so, what is your favourite and how is it prepared?
Did you make this recipe? Share your creations by tagging @notquitenigella on Instagram with the hashtag #notquitenigella
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Print Recipe
Makes 6 toasts
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 18 minutes
3 x veal or beef marrow bones, sliced in half horizontally*
1/3 cup finely chopped chives
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 teaspoon baby capers, rinsed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Micro sorrel to decorate
10cm/4inch section of rye or wholemeal sourdough loaf, trimmed of the crusts
Salt and pepper to season
Bone marrow bones usually have to be ordered ahead of time. Get the butcher to slice them in half lengthways. You can also get them cut across to make little towers but I find it easier to get the marrow out when they're cut lengthways. The bones were $6 each and yield a small amount of marrow so they're not a cheap cut but they are delicious. Veal bones are milder in flavour than beef bones and are what they serve at St John.
Step 1 - Preheat oven to 230C/450F and line a baking tray with parchment. Place the 6 marrow bones cut side up and roast for 18 minutes.
Step 2 - Meanwhile slice up the bread into 2cm/3/4inch batons and toast lightly under a grill.
Step 3 - Mix the chives, parsley, capers and lemon juice in a small bowl. When the marrow has finished cooking, divide the herb mixture among the six bones on top. Decorate with sorrel leaves and serve with the toast fingers with small spoons. One split marrow bone should provide enough topping for one toast finger.
(Some recipes we've read recommend soaking the bones in salted water for while before cooking, but we've never found it to make much of a difference). The key to nailing roasted marrow bones is to be aggressive, both with your seasoning and roasting temperature.
Take the bones out of the brine, place them marrow side up in a cast iron pan or simply on a baking sheet and sprinkle with some sea salt. Let the marrow bones cook for about 25 minutes. Be careful not to overcook the bones or the marrow will melt completely and you won't be able to eat it.
To serve, place the marrow bones on individual plates with toast, salad and sea salt. To eat, dig the marrow out of the bones, spread it on the toast, top with salad, and sprinkle with sea salt. It's a hands-on dish that's fun for a dinner party.
There's no reason why you shouldn't roast the marrow and simply spread it on lovely toast like butter. But you could also gussy it up with a little ease. Leftover roasted marrow will keep for 2 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container.
Cover the bones in enough salt water to cover, and let brine and refrigerate for 24 hours. This will help draw out the impurities in the bones and leave the marrow nice and white. -Brine mixture – 1sp of salt for every cup of water and enough water to cover the bones.
Rinse the bones in cold water to remove blood and bone fragments. Place in a large bowl of cold water and soak for 8 hours or overnight. While soaking, change the water a couple of times.
Drain the bones and put them into a large stock pot. I use my 10 quart stock pot. Add water until the bones are submerged.
Bone marrow toxicity may be increased by medications that interfere with the folate metabolic pathway (such as TMP/SMX) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, which may decrease the renal clearance of MTX.
Put the tray in a preheated oven at 350ºF/180ºC for about 15-20 minutes. The marrow will be done when it is a nice golden-brown colour and springy to touch. You're looking for the marrow to slightly pull away from the bone – if it's too hard, they haven't been cooked for long enough.
Eating raw bone marrow is good for you because of the healthy fats, vitamins and minerals. It's popular among paleo, carnivore diet and ancestral health proponents. You can easily eat it with a sprinkle of salt. Pro tip: Ask your butcher to split the bones for you so that you can harvest marrow from them yourself.
You can pair this dish with anything; toast, veggies, rice, or just eat it straight from a small spoon (that's what we love to do!) Roasted bone marrow may seem intimidating, but it's actually super simple and has minimal ingredients, seasoned with only kosher salt and black pepper (no, really!)
Although bone marrow is an excellent source of different vitamins and minerals, it's also high in fat. If you're going to add bone marrow to your diet, make sure to do so in moderation to avoid weight gain.
Beef bone marrow is also a main ingredient in the Italian dish ossobuco (braised veal shanks); the shanks are cross-cut and served bone-in, with the marrow still inside the bone.
As long as the meat reaches a safe temperature, it's perfectly safe to eat the marrow inside the bones. Cook all raw beef, pork, lamb, and veal steaks, chops, and roasts to a minimum internal temperature of 145°F as measured with a food thermometer before removing meat from the heat source.
Healthy plasma cells that live in the bone marrow make antibodies that protect us from antigens like bacteria and viruses. But if those plasma cells become unhealthy—that is, if they grow unchecked—the unchecked growth leads to multiple myeloma. This type of cancer results in lytic bone disease, or holes in the bones.
You can keep them natural with a sprinkling of salt and pepper, or add a herbed mix of parsley and garlic. Put the tray in a preheated oven at 350ºF/180ºC for about 15-20 minutes. The marrow will be done when it is a nice golden-brown color and springy to touch.
Bone marrow exams are often performed on an outpatient basis. Special preparation usually isn't needed. If you'll be receiving a sedative during the bone marrow exam, your doctor may ask you to stop eating and drinking for a period of time before the procedure.
You don't have to, it just gets rid of some of the blood, which only affects the appearance of the final product, making it look a bit lighter in color. You'll be happier if you do. It makes for a cleaner roast.
Some lesser known flavors to add to your bone broth are roasted garlic, a squeeze of lemon, thai curry paste and apple cider vinegar. Another one of my favorites. Roast garlic with oil, salt and pepper in foil in the oven until very soft.
If you use Marrow Bones to make bone broth or soups, the marrow will dissolve into the liquid and leave you with clean bones after slow cooking your bone broth.
Introduction: My name is Nicola Considine CPA, I am a determined, witty, powerful, brainy, open, smiling, proud person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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