Friday, March 4, 2011

Roasted Marrow Bones

Marrow from the center of a roasted bone is so delicious and decadent, it has been referred to as "God's butter". Yesterday, Tita and Kay N. came over for a mid-day treat of Roasted Marrow Bones. We enjoyed the subtle, rich flavor and creamy texture of this highly nutritious dish.

Marrow from a pasture-raised animal is a rich source of vitamin A, vitamin K2, and contains up to 45% percent of healthy fat.  
Vitamin A helps form and maintain healthy teeth, skeletal and soft tissue, mucous membranes, and skin. It is also known as retinol because it produces the pigments in the retina of the eye.  
Vitamin K2 is mostly required for blood coagulation, but is also involved in metabolic pathways in bone and other tissue. 
The fat in marrow is rich in sphingolipids, which are specialized fats that protect cell membranes against environmental insults, and are important components of the brain and nervous system. 

 
 
 
 
Lasater marrow bones are cut from the middle of the steer's leg bone. The marrow is firm when uncooked, and becomes gelatinous and loose when roasted. The best way to eat marrow is immediately after roasting. When the marrow is still hot, spread it on grilled toast and sprinkle with a mineral rich salt such as Celtic Sea Salt.

Ingredients:
Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.
2-4 center-cut beef bones
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 tsp. capers
1 Tbls. olive oil
1 tsp. fresh lemon juice
kosher salt, to taste
Thick slices of crusty bread, grilled or toasted
Serves about 4

Directions:
Roast bones for 20 minutes at 450 degrees. Arrange your bones standing upright in the baking dish or sheet pan in a 'Stonehenge' pattern.  While your bones are roasting, toss the chopped parsley, red onion, and capers into a bowl. Drizzle in the olive oil and lemon juice. Sprinkle with kosher salt to taste. Once the bones are roasted, use a marrow spoon or any other thin utensil to extract the marrow from the center of bone. Spread the marrow on grilled toast and top with onion, parsley, & caper condiment. 
Now I know why our ancestors went through the trouble of smashing bones to get at this succulent meat butter! Let me know what you think.