Chef's notes:
I remember the first time I watched someone eat bone marrow. And it wasn’t on the Food Nerdwork or the Travel Channel. It was at my parents’ dining table in their beautiful log home in the deep north of Minnesota. My dad would sit at the table after dinner and break all the chicken bones in half and suck the marrow from them. I remember thinking two things: that my dad was crazy and that it was gross. But he certainly did enjoy it, much like I myself do now. I am not alone in this new-found love. Many Americans are rediscovering their love for marrow now that eating it has fallen back into fashion. The rise of haute cuisine in America has been the revolution of my generation, and it’s still happening.
Ingredients
- 4 # beef marrow bones, washed and scraped clean
- Sea salt, coarse grind
- Flat-leaf parsley, minced
- Lemon juice
- Capers (the smaller, the better)
- Baguette, sliced and toasted
Roasted Beef Marrow Bone: Sea Salt, Lemon Juice, Flat-Leaf Parsley, and Capers on Baguette Toasts
- Clean the marrow bones prior to roasting. I prefer the sliced marrow bones like these ones here. But if you get the long, unsliced ones, they will work, too. They just have to roast longer. Rinse the bones under cool water and scrape away any tissue that remains connected. Dry them on paper towels to soak up any blood remaining inside.
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Lay the cleaned and dried bones in an oven-safe roasting pan. Make sure the bottom of the pan is lightly oiled to avoid the bones sticking to the bottom of it. Don’t worry about seasoning the marrow now; that will come later. First we must render the marrow—that is, to remove some of the fat.
- Roast the bones for 12‒15 minutes. Bones this size will be finished roasting in 12‒15 minutes. If you have slightly larger bones, tack on a few more minutes. If you are roasting a full size, six inches or more, you may wish to keep them in the oven for 20+ minutes. Roast them on end like these here. It might get tricky, which is why I prefer these smaller ones.
- Eat the marrow on some toast. After the bones are roasted, the marrow is ready to eat. Spread some on a piece of toast and top it with a little minced parsley, sea salt, lemon juice, and capers, to your liking. You may wish to add some pepper or even some garlic or fresh shallot, perhaps a little thyme or even a caper berry. It’s up to you; have fun and enjoy.
Tips & Tricks
- Use the blade of the paring knife like an ice scraper against the bone to get off the flesh stuck to it. Once you get it started, you should be able to pull it off like tape from the roll.
- Washing the bones helps to remove any bone chips and blood that may be stuck to them.
- Drying them will make roasting easier.
- I know the first time you eat marrow, it will be difficult. And make no mistake, it’s not at all good for you. In fact, it is probably tragically bad to be eating this stuff, but it’s worth it . . . I think.
