Jennifer McLagan says, “I find it encouraging to know that this odd bit, once consigned to the soup pot, tossed to the dog, or thrown in the garbage, is now finally being appreciated as a dish in its own right. Now that good fat is back on the table, marrow is seemingly everywhere.
“Many people avoid roasted bone marrow because it’s fat. But it should be remembered that marrow is 69 percent unsaturated fat. It’s also a very nutritious food, containing iron, phosphorus, vitamin A, and trace amounts of thiamin and niacin.
“There’s even more good news for marrow lovers. Science has shown that the fat of ruminants contains substances that boost and maintain our body’s immune system. So the Victorians were right—it is a healthy food and definitely way too good for the dog.”
Why Our Testers Loved This
The testers are describing this roasted marrow as “impressive,” “rich,” and “decadent.” Tester Anna Scott was delighted that this classic appetizer used “simple ingredients and methods with outrageously delicious results.”
Ingredients at a Glance
- Beef marrow bones–These generally come from the femur (upper leg bone) of the cow and are ideal for cutting lengthwise, called a canoe cut, but you can also find smaller bones cut crosswise, which will work just as well. The cut bones should already be free of meat and should smell clean and faintly meaty. If there’s meat on the bones, like mine above, you can remove it before or after soaking.
- The marrow itself should be whitish-pink in color; don’t worry if you can see blood spots on the surface—that’s normal.
- Sea salt–This is used in the soaking water to help draw out any impurities in the marrow. You’ll need to use 1 teaspoon of coarse salt for each cup of water and replace the solution every 4 hours.
How to Roast Bone Marrow
- Add the marrow bones to a large bowl and fill it with ice water, making sure they’re submerged. Add 1 teaspoon of salt for each cup of water in the bowl. Refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, replacing the salt water solution every 4 hours.
- Drain the bones, cover them, and chill until you’re ready to roast them. Preheat the oven to 450°F. Place the bones, cut side up, in a roasting pan or on a sturdy baking sheet.
- Roast until the marrow is puffed and has reached an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Sprinkle with sea salt and serve immediately.
Common Questions
According to dietitian Rachael Ajmera on Healthline, marrow has a very high collagen content, which improves joint and skin health and reduces inflammation.
I recommend it. Soaking the bones draws out any remaining blood or impurities. It’s cosmetic, and there isn’t any harm in cooking the marrow without soaking, but it makes for a prettier presentation, and you won’t find any clumps of coagulated blood while you’re enjoying your meal.
Yes. I recommend defrosting the bone marrow in the refrigerator before cooking. You can cook it directly from frozen, but the roasting time will increase.
Helpful Tips
- Marrow bones can be cut to any length you want. Ask your local butcher for pieces cut from the center of the leg bone, where the ratio of marrow to bone is highest. It’s tricky to judge how much marrow you’ll get from any bone as it ranges widely depending on the thickness of the bone: A 3-inch (7.5-centimeter) bone usually averages around 1 1/2 ounces (40 grams).
- Buy extra bones to be sure you have enough. Bone marrow freezes well in or out of the bone.
- You can ask for the bones to be cut lengthwise, called canoe cut. This makes the marrow easy to get at with any spoon—no need for a fancy lomg-handle spoon.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
Once soaked, bone marrow should be refrigerated and cooked within 24 hours or frozen for up to 3 months. To freeze bone marrow, wrap the soaked bones in plastic, then store them in a resealable bag or airtight container.
After cooking, roasted bone marrow can be refrigerated for up to 2 days or frozen for up to 3 months. Reheat in a 300°F (150°C) oven until warmed through. Do keep an eye on it, as it will begin to melt if overheated.
Leftover cooked bone marrow can also be mixed into butter to create an excellent compound butter topping for grilled beef tenderloin.
What to Serve with This Recipe
If you’re serving these as a first course or appetizer, simply sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper, garnish with some fresh herbs or microgreens, and serve with some toasted bread rounds.
If you want to make this a main course, offer it alongside a fresh salad dressed with lemon vinaigrette or some vegetables, such as asparagus or broccoli roasted with olive oil, salt, and pepper.
More Outstanding Beef Recipes
Write a Review
If you make this recipe, or any dish on LC, consider leaving a review, a star rating, and your best photo in the comments below. I love hearing from you.–David
I loved this beef bone marrow recipe! I have been so anxious about making it, but it was super easy! I did just as the recipe instructed, and it turned out beautifully!
Denise
Roasted Bone Marrow
Ingredients
- Four (3-inch) marrow bones
- Coarse sea salt
- Freshly ground pepper
Instructions
- Fill a large bowl halfway with ice water and add 1 teaspoon of coarse sea salt per 1 cup water. Add the marrow bones and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours, changing the water every 4 hours and replacing the salt each time.
☞ TESTER TIP: Some testers have asked us, "Do I need to soak the bones?" The answer is yes. This removes the blood and any impurities from the marrow.
- Drain the bones, cover, and refrigerate until you're ready to roast the marrow. Be sure to roast the soaked marrow within 24 hours or freeze the drained bones for up to 3 months.
- Crank the oven to 450°F (230°C).
- Place the marrow bones in a roasting pan. If the bones are cut crosswise, place them standing up; if the bones are cut lengthwise, place them cut side up.
- Roast for 15 to 25 minutes, until the marrow has puffed slightly and has an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) in the center when measured with an instant-read thermometer. If you don't have a thermometer, insert a metal skewer into the center of the bone, then touch it to your wrist to gauge the marrow’s temperature; the roasted bone marrow should be very hot. Do take care not to burn yourself. There should be no resistance when the skewer is inserted, and some of the marrow will have started to leak from the bones.
- Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper. Serve immediately with spoons for scooping.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Recipe Testers’ Reviews
What an elegant treat this roasted bone marrow was! This dish is the epitome of classic French cooking to me—simple ingredients and methods with outrageously delicious results. And oh so impressive!
Served alongside a warm baguette, this appetizer was a real winner. Rich, creamy bone marrow spread on a piece of crusty bread—you can’t get much more decadent than that. It’s nature’s equivalent of butter on bread.
I sprinkled the tops of the marrow bones with kosher salt right when they came out of the oven for a little added flavor. A fancy, coarse sea salt would work well, too. I cooked my bones at 450°F for 30 minutes and the marrow came out perfectly.
I was incredibly excited to have the opportunity to make this recipe to ring in the New Year, especially since I’ve had this dish in several French bistro-style restaurants but never at home, as New Year’s to me is all about decadent food that’s comforting at the same time. My grocery store always seems to carry bone marrow, so believe me when I say that one of my New Year’s resolutions is to treat myself to this culinary delight many more times this year!
Although I personally thought the recipe was too long-winded—I’ve made roasted marrow before without the soaking—it turned out perfectly, and we thoroughly enjoyed eating it.
Okay — I tired this and the raw bones didn’t free up the marrow. So… I have a plan. It seems to work but it’s a little dangerous so you have to be wildly careful. You are, right? If not, don’t read further.
In many of the bones, there’s a boney growth inside the bones at or near the site where the butcher bandsawed the femur. It’s delicate but it’s still bone and it can stop you dead. So, take an old, worn, you-no-longer-care-about chef’s knife, and use the tip to ream out a hole. Don’t go nuts. You’ll get it done in about 15 seconds, after which resistance increases. STOP — that’s as good as it gets.
Check both ends of the bone. One side is usually narrower than the other — that’s your pal. slowly press a cylindrical piece of wood in, slowlt pressing the marrow out the larger side. I use an old spoon with a cylindrical handle for this, but I imagine anything solid and of the right diameter will do. Work slow. And this may take some pressure so, once again, be careful.
If you can’t get a piece out, let it soak for another hour and try again, until you admit defeat or it works.
Good luck with this!
CJB, brilliant! Thank you!
Well it was great fun. Sort of stood back and watched until, as our Leader said, the marrow started to pull away at spot on 15 minutes. Lettuce tops, radishes, celery cubes, and yes, small green olive bits. Not normal but it all worked. Not much salt and bit of lemon pepper to enjoy the marrow taste. Kept back a few bones and will do again in a few days for kids. Such fun and lots of memories.
Larry
Lovely, Larry. Just lovely. Thank you so much.
At age 74, having began life in a cattle ranch in Northern Nevada, as a child bone marrow, sweetbreads, brains, and “Rocky mountain oysters” were staples. After spring branding, etc., some of the above were eaten over a “Dutch oven” hung out over the branding iron fire. Yes, I know, very descriptive but those were the days.
Now to the marrow. That arrived after the butcher was done and we had the entire remains. Again sorry for the descriptions but real. We and our most trusted “hands” and their families literally made a meal or froze “in our old rock house buried in the ground” all parts for use in future meals. No waste. So cut to the chase and sorry for long preamble, my wife of years came home with three large steer bones and said “OK old boy, do your thing”. Just ran out of pickled tongue last week so (after 60 years) I said YES… So fled to this web site hoping for my Eldorado. YES what a find. So now class I have completed 24 hours of the salt stuff and ready to move on to the final cooking. For the small family attending to view the Academy Awards tomorrow night. Wish me well. More to come. Regards and sorry for long boring e mail.
Best, Larry
Larry, wishing you well with your bone marrow endeavor! And not boring at all! I love your descriptions and can only imagine…I grew up on a farm in Iowa but I was not privy to the butchering and so your tales are highly interesting and informative. Thank you so much for taking the time to share. Kindly let us know if the bone marrow tastes like that of yesteryear…