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.
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.
Bone marrow has a delicate, complex umami (savory) flavor with a creamy texture and nutty undertones. Roast bone marrow on its own and scoop it out with a spoon. Spread the marrow on a cracker or bread if you'd like. Turn roasted bone marrow into bone broth by simmering it in a pot with water, veggies, and seasonings.
Marrow bones must be soaked for 12 to 24 hours in salted water to remove the blood. Place the bones in a large dish of ice water to cover, add 2 tablespoons of coarse sea salt, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, changing the water 4 to 6 times and adding 2 more tablespoons of salt to the water each time.
Bone marrow is full of collagen, which improves the health and strength of bones and skin. It is also rich in glucosamine, a compound that helps against osteoarthritis, relieves joint pain, and reduces inflammation in the joints.
Raw Bone Marrow has become extremely popular amongst the Carnivore and Ancestral eating communities. Raw Bone Marrow is surprisingly palatable, clean tasting, easily digested and pairs well with a sprinkle of Kosher salt.
Scrape out the beautiful marrow with a spoon and spread it onto the toast. Think of it like a trough of garlic butter. Delicious! Serve with a hearty steak on the side and a nice refreshing salad to cleanse the palette.
However, as it has become more popular, it has become harder to find and more expensive to buy. Basically, you can use bones from any animal, including goats and sheep, though beef bone marrow is the most popular with amateur cooks and beginners due to the size of the bones and easy availability.
The bone marrow of animals like cows, lambs, caribou, and moose is commonly consumed in many types of cuisine. It has a rich, slightly sweet flavor with a smooth texture and is often served alongside toast or used as a base for soup.
Whatever the reason, the fact is that this stuff has an incredibly rich, buttery flavor. Modern day chefs love using bone marrow because of this, and there's a long history all the way back to ancient times of humans consuming bone marrow for its winning combination of flavor and nutrients.
While the oven is heating, you can season your marrow bones with salt. PRO TIP: The more meat on the bones, the more salt you will need to add flavor. Then, add your marrow bones to a sheet pan and freshly minced garlic. Shake the pan to mix the ingredients together and pop it in the oven for twenty minutes.
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.
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put bones, cut side up, on foil-lined baking sheet or in ovenproof skillet. Cook until marrow is soft and has begun to separate from the bone, about 15 minutes.
How often should I eat bone marrow? You should eat bone marrow twice per week for best results. It has important nutrients that we lack in our Western Diet that are beneficial for skin health, brain health, blood sugar, immunity ands stem cell formation.
A number of recent studies have shown that bone marrow transplant can either enhance or protect from hypertension depending on the experimental condition.
Grass-fed bones from healthy animals are definitely recommended by our team for your overall health, but these do come at a premium price point. Many people enjoy roasting the bones in the oven and serving the fatty marrow with some sort of marmalade. Others spread the marrow across crackers or toast.
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.
Just before bones are ready, whisk together olive oil and lemon juice and drizzle dressing over parsley mixture until leaves are just coated. Put roasted bones, parsley salad, salt and toast on a large plate. To serve, scoop out marrow, spread on toast, sprinkle with a tiny bit of salt and top with parsley salad.
What is the best way to eat bone marrow at a restaurant? The best way to eat bone marrow is to scoop it out of the bone using a small spoon or knife and spread it onto a piece of toasted bread. Sprinkle a pinch of sea salt on top for added flavor, and enjoy the rich, creamy goodness.
Introduction: My name is Horacio Brakus JD, I am a lively, splendid, jolly, vivacious, vast, cheerful, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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