Beef Bone Marrow-Rendering

bone marrow...what i like to call "BEEF BUTTER"

not for the weak. i like it..i love it!... but then again i like pig ears, pork belly and turkey tails.

here i am again with something not so attractive, not so often used and a little out of the ordinary. surprise surprise. i'm sure you've seen roasted bone marrow on the menu. it's usually served beautifully roasted in the bone with it's own little special thin shovel shaped spoon, toast points and a few select accompaniments. it's quite dramatic and tasty if done properly and highly suggested for a first timer. the flavor is like a rich beefy butter. to some it's more of an event. you could liken it to eating caviar with all the goodies. some people just order it for the presentation and wow factor.











i can safely assume that not many will be attracted to this post, but those of you still interested i found an easy way to render the marrow from the bone. this can keep in the fridge for quite a while to use when needed. it's a great flavor enhancer for any stock, broth or sauce. ..add to your hamburgers for an extra rich flavor. it can be used as a dramatic first course or simply used like any fat or oil...

like i said...think of it as BEEF BUTTER

RENDERING BONE MARROW
some great info from my favorite new book "FAT" by Jennifer McLagan

i like to do this when i'm making oxtails or short ribs or any good beefy stock.

choose some bones that look freshly cut about 2-3 inches. the marrow should look nice and clean and white.
soak the bones in cold water with 2 tbsp kosher salt for 12-24 hours and refrigerate changing the water 4-5 times and resalting. this removes the blood. render straight away after the soaking.

if you're making stock, get that going as usual. mine consists of 1-2 onions quartered, a few celery stalks, smashed garlic and a few sliced carrots...a sprinkle of dry tarragon and oregano.

get this to a boil and then down to a simmer.

add the bones in and simmer for about 15-20 mins. carefully take the bones out and place them in a dish. (very easy to drop back in the pot and splash hot broth on oneself). the marrow should be loosening from the sides.

prepare a bowl of ice water and stir in 1 Tbsp kosher salt (more or less depending on the size of the bowl).

while they are warm carefully run a small knife around the marrow. sometimes the marrow will just slip out at this point, sometimes it will take a little work to get it out whole and in one nice big cylindrical piece. put the marrow into the cold salted water. it should solidify pretty quick. repeat with the rest. add ice to the water if necessary.

when you're done put the bones back into the stock because there is still lots of beefy goodness on them bones.

transfer the marrow to a tupperware (air-tight container) and cover with some fresh salted water. keep in the fridge for future use. change the salted water every few days until ready to use.

NOTE... i am not the food safety police.  i don't know how long this will keep. use your best judgement.  now i like to  submerge the marrow in butter or oil and use within a week or 2... OR just freeze small amounts to use whenever the craving strikes.


this was tasty and rich with a little sauteed shallots and some fresh parsley. it can make something so plain into something wonderful, deep and delicious.

i can get a little carried away and add it to just about anything when i have it on hand. below i used it to cook my scrambled eggs and fried ham, then topped it off with a seared medallion of marrow and fresh parsley.