How (and Why) to Use Bone Marrow

Cara Nicoletti of The Meat Hook shows us how (and why) to use bone marrow as a rich, buttery addition to your favorite dishes.

Ever since the Paleolithic diet craze exploded a couple of years ago, there has been much buzzing about the miraculous benefits of eating bone marrow, which may have put it on your radar in a way that it wasn’t before. In years past, we sold marrow bones at a steady but slow pace at The Meat Hook, mostly to people looking for something that their large dog could chew on. These days though, people are buying marrow bones for their own consumption at a pace so dizzying we rarely have any in stock by the end of the week!

It’s always tricky when a food suddenly gets labeled a “superfood,” because it can make the line between fad and fact a little bit blurry. The truth is, though, that bone marrow has been lauded for its health benefits for centuries by nearly every culture in the world. In Chinese cooking, bone marrow is thought to support the chi and nourish the kidneys, and is often served in the form of rich broths. Marrow bones are used to make pho in Vietnamese cooking, Italian osso buco, French pot-au-feu, GermanMarkklößchen, Pilipino bulalo, South Asian nalli nihari — the list goes on! So even if you’re a paleo-skeptic, you can feel good knowing that bone marrow isn’t just a flash-in-the-pan health craze.

Let’s start with the basics: What is bone marrow?
Bone marrow is the soft, fatty tissue inside the bone cavity of large bones where blood cells are produced. Marrow is nutrient-dense and contains collagen for improved joint function, plus easily digestible forms of zinc, phosphorous, calcium, and iron. It is a great source of omega-3 fatty acids, lipids, and Vitamin A. Marrow has been shown to boost immunity and wound-healing, support brain and hormone function, and aid in digestion by rebuilding damaged intestinal lining.

An added bonus: It’s deliciously rich and creamy, like meat-flavored butter.

You can use marrow bones to make bone broth, or you can roast the bones and use the marrow the same way you would use butter — spread it on toast, cook eggs or roast vegetables with it, or let it melt over your steak while it’s resting. Here is my favorite simple way to prepare it — the whipping makes it look slightly more presentable than it does fresh out of the oven. If it’s the main event and you’re just spreading it on bread, some acid (like a squeeze of lemon or a splash of vinegar) will help cut the fatty richness.

More: If marrow isn’t your thing, try spreading schmaltz on your toast instead.

A very important side note: Because toxins are stored in the fatty tissues of an animal, it’s important that you feel confident that the marrow bones you buy are coming from a place that sources well-raised animals. If you buy bones from commodity animals that were pumped full of hormones and antibiotics, and that were unhealthy and not well cared for, you won’t be benefiting, health-wise, in the same way.

Roasted and Whipped Bone Marrow

Makes about a cup, depending on your bones

2 femur bones, canoed (ask your butcher to cut them for you)
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, minced
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, minced
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges or white wine vinegar for serving (optional)

  1. Place canoed marrow bones, marrow side-up, on a roasting sheet lined with tinfoil and pre-heat your oven to 425° F. Roast for 25 minutes.

  2. When the bones have cooled enough to handle, scoop the marrow out into a bowl and place it in the refrigerator to cool (Save your bones to make stock! It will still be hearty without the marrow).

  3. When the marrow has cooled to the consistency of softened butter (like what you would use for making cookies), place it in the bowl of a mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. Whip it until it is white and fluffy, like whipped butter. Whip in herbs and season with salt and pepper to taste. You can cook with this whipped marrow like you would cook with butter, or you can spread it on toast with a squeeze of lemon.

How do you like to use bone marrow? Tell us in the comments!