How to cook bone marrow

Called the Butter of the Gods, roasted bone marrow sounds a little gourmet but is incredibly easy to do at home. It is the gelantinous middle of a bone and is filled with calcium, collagen, and healthy fats. It’s a special occasion meal for sure, but we’re all allowed to indulge once in a while.

How to buy beef bones for roasted marrow:

When purchasing bone marrow bones, ask your butcher for pieces cut from the center of the leg bone. This area tends to have a higher ratio of marrow to bone
You can ask your butcher to cut the bones lengthwise or crosswise. Lengthwise is easiest for serving and doesn’t require tiny spoons to eat; cross cut will take less time to cook
Use the freshest bones possible – this means they should be clean of meat and the marrow should be a white-pinkish colour
The bones should not have a strong odour

How to roast bone marrow

Preheat the oven to 220°C and line an oven tray with foil
Lay the bones on the tray, marrow facing upwards
Season generously with pepper and put in the oven for 15 to 20 minutes.
It will start to colour - you want it to see the marrow pull from the bones but still be a little wobbly.

If you overcook it, the marrow will render into the tray and be lost.

There’s no reason why you shouldn’t roast the marrow and simply spread it on lovely toast like butter. But you could also gussy it up with a little ease.
Leftover roasted marrow will keep for 2 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer in an airtight container.

Thinly slice shallots, preserved lemon and toss both through a salad of microgreens to serve with the marrow, along side toasted sourdough
Scoop it out, blend with butter, garlic and rosemary for an amazing flavoured butter that will freeze well for easy bistro vibes with a steak
Level up your charcuterie board and serve alongside pickled vegetable, quality cheese and sliced baguette
Add to soups, stews and braises for an extra flavour boost

Chefs tip:

A soak overnight in water will remove any remaining impurities and firm up the marrow