Cooking marrow. Any ideas?

[pedro]

I've just bought some marrow bones and I need some input about how to cook them. I was thinking in doing something à la St. John (Fergus Henderson), but quite frankly, I don't know what he does with the bone. I want a dish where marrow is the main ingredient.

Any ideas?

[Diann]

I've just bought some marrow bones and I need some input about how to cook them. I was thinking in doing something à la St. John (Fergus Henderson), but quite frankly, I don't know what he does with the bone. I want a dish where marrow is the main ingredient.

Any ideas?

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I don't know how it's done (what oven temperature, if there are any seasonings, etc.) but I believe a classic French preparation is roasting chunks of marrow bones in the oven and serving with grey salt, mustard, toasted baguette, and cornichons. You scoop the roasted marrow out of the bone, spread on the baguette like butter, top with sea salt, and eat.

I've never made it, only eaten it and loved it.

Anthony Bourdain mentions that Henderson does a roasted bone marrow (from veal shank) with parsley and caper salad, croutons, and sea salt.

[k43]

See the recent thread at http://forums.egullet.org/index.php?showtopic=65358

[Artichoke]

The method Henderson uses is the most simple and in my opinion, the most delicious. Just pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees, stand the bones upright in a pan and let them roast for about 20 minutes. They are ready when the marrow pulls away from the bone. Be careful not to over cook them or the marrow will largely melt away. Henderson serves them with a simple salad of flat leaf parsely, chopped shallots, capers, a squeeze of lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper. Scoop the marrow out on some toasted bread, sprinkle with a touch of sea salt and enjoy. Marrow is a truly glorious thing.

There are more involved methods, such as having your butcher split beef shinbones in half lengthwise and then make a paste using bread crumbs, softened butter, parsely, dry mustard, salt and pepper, perhaps a dash of worcestershire. You spead the paste over the exposed marrow and put it under the broiler untill the surface is browned and bubbling, about 5 minutes, depending on how hot your broiler gets. Personaly, I find this method over kill, the marrow is very rich on its own and its subtle beefy flavor is lost when cooking it this way, but I know people who enjoy this method a lot.

The other thing I do with marrow bones, and what I will be doing this weekend, is make a soup. I will tie the green part of a leek around the bone with kitchen twine so the marrow does not slip out into the soup pot, add whatever else you like (I usualy add turnip, celery leaves or celery root, carrot, parsnip, leek, a few whole peppercorns, sometimes some fresh dill towards the end, and if I have them in the freezer, chicken feet) and when it is done, you have a nice soup and beautifuly soft, tender marrow to eat on its own, or spread on toast.

[Shalmanese]

It's also really good slipped into risotto at the last minute. Roast or boil your marrow bones before hand. Scoop out the marrow and roughly chop.

[petite tête de chou]

The method Henderson uses is the most simple and in my opinion, the most delicious.  Just pre-heat your oven to 450 degrees, stand the bones upright in a pan and let them roast for about 20 minutes. They are ready when the marrow pulls away from the bone.  Be careful not to over cook them or the marrow will largely melt away.  Henderson serves them with a simple salad of flat leaf parsely, chopped shallots, capers, a squeeze of lemon, olive oil, salt and pepper.  Scoop the marrow out on some toasted bread, sprinkle with a touch of sea salt and enjoy.  Marrow is a truly glorious thing.

There are more involved methods, such as having your butcher split beef shinbones in half lengthwise and then make a paste using bread crumbs, softened butter, parsely, dry mustard, salt and pepper, perhaps a dash of worcestershire.  You spead the paste over the exposed marrow and put it under the broiler untill the surface is browned and bubbling, about 5 minutes, depending on how hot your broiler gets.  Personaly, I find this method over kill, the marrow is very rich on its own and its subtle beefy flavor is lost when cooking it this way, but I know people who enjoy this method a lot.

The other thing I do with marrow bones, and what I will be doing this weekend, is make a soup.  I will tie the green part of a leek around the bone with kitchen twine so the marrow does not slip out into the soup pot, add whatever else you like (I usualy add turnip, celery leaves or celery root, carrot, parsnip, leek, a few whole peppercorns, sometimes some fresh dill towards the end, and if I have them in the freezer, chicken feet)  and when it is done, you have a nice soup and beautifuly soft, tender marrow to eat on its own, or spread on toast.

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The best ideas I've heard/read for marrow. Thanks Artichoke!

[Mallet]

The method Henderson uses is the most simple and in my opinion, the most delicious.  [....]

I can definitely vouch for Henderson's recipe. We just made it tonight and it was awesome!

[JAZ]

Another vote for Henderson's recipe. The caper and parsley salad is a nice foil to the richness of the marrow.

Then, if you have leftovers, you can spread it on crostini, top with a little parmesan and run it under the broiler. This is a great appetizer on its own, but where it really shines is as a garnish for French onion soup.

Leftovers are also great to mix into mashed potatoes, or the filling for twice baked potatoes, especially if you also add caramelized onions.

[chef koo]

make sauce bordelaise

[Jamie Valvo]

One of my sous chefs just made Chef Henderson's recipe for me. I was thourghly thrilled with the result. Acid, Salt, Fat, Richness. It was balanced and complex. A solid recipe.

Yours in Food,

James Valvo

Chef de Cuisine

Tribute

[ChefCrash]

make sauce bordelaise

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Ok.

Henderson's "450 for 20 minutes" is way too hot and too long for these femur bones. It was more like 5 minutes. The meat is a 'chuck-eye-center cut' steak. This 0.75lb steak cost $1.99. It was melting soft.

[Pontormo]

Am I too late to invite you to participate in the current project over in the forum on Italy & Italian cooking?

We are cooking our way through regions that include Piemonte.

If you have 4-5 bones left (with about 60 grams of marrow), a good choice would be a red wine risotto.

Marrow is melted to cook onions and shallots before rice is added. Then each time you add stock, pour in a little dry red wine, adding a bit of tomato paste too after about ten minutes.

When done, season with black pepper, pinch of nutmeg, Parmigiano-Reggiano and a pat of butter if you'd like.

I can send more precise details from a published recipe in a personal message if you'd like.