What does bone marrow taste like?

For all you foodies out there, if you haven’t already, you should explore the rich flavor and distinctive texture of marrow.

Perhaps the first source of fatty animal product our ancestors were able to obtain, bone marrow has made its way into haute cuisine, with many high-end restaurants serving delectable roasted bone marrow on their menus.

In addition to becoming a delicacy in gourmet restaurants, bone marrow has also started to gain popularity among health and fitness enthusiasts due to its stellar nutrient profile.

However, despite being fashionable in American and European cuisine, do you hesitate to try it because you don’t know what to expect from it in terms of flavor?

Well, don’t worry, because we are here to share our knowledge about this highly appreciated dish.

What does bone marrow taste like? Many people say that it has an umami flavor and that it tastes extremely buttery and creamy due to its high fat content. When cooked properly, it tastes somewhat sweet and rich, savory.

If you were worried that it might taste unpleasant and bitter, you can take our word for it and try it at your favorite restaurant for a pleasant surprise.

Read on to learn more about bone marrow, what it looks like, how it smells, its uses in cooking, and how it affects the flavor of different dishes.

What does the bone marrow do?

Bone marrow is located in the center of the bones and is found in abundance in the spine, hip and thigh areas.

It is a type of spongy tissue in which stem cells develop into red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets, all of which are involved in vital bodily functions such as oxygen transport, immune function, and blood clotting.

Bone marrow from animals such as cows, sheep, goats, and moose is commonly eaten by many people around the world and is often used to make bone broth, meat dishes, or served on toast.

It is high in calories and fat, is rich in nutrients such as protein and vitamin B12, and contains riboflavin, iron, vitamin E, phosphorus, thiamine, and vitamin A.

It is also rich in collagen , the protein found in abundance in our bodies, which is believed to reduce joint pain and promote skin health.

In addition, the bone marrow produced from these animals contains conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), a type of fat that is believed to improve immune function and decrease inflammation.

Although there are no studies evaluating the direct effects of consuming bone marrow, there is plenty of research on how its components benefit the human body.

According to studies, there are several components found in bone marrow that support joint function, decrease inflammation, and promote skin health.

What does the bone marrow look like?

When raw, the bone marrow looks like a part of the bone and is whitish, yellow, or red in color, depending on the type of meat. 

However, when cooked, the color changes from whitish to slightly brown, and the texture also becomes very smooth, almost butter-like, with a sweet, nutty flavor and a lighter texture.

The texture can be described as supple and smoother than jelly, which simply melts in your mouth and leaves you wanting more.

You can enjoy it in a number of ways, and because it’s so incredibly smooth, you can eat it straight off the bone with a spoon.

Bone marrow smells slightly different from bone because of its high fat content . However, when it goes bad, it will have an unpleasant odor similar to spoiled meat.

How to eat bone marrow

There is no single correct way to eat marrow. You can cook and enjoy it straight off the bone, spread it on toast like butter, melt it over your steak, roast it in the oven, or make delicious bone broth.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind when eating it, like how to get all the marrow out of the bones, and since it’s inside a hollow bone, it can be a bit tricky to get it all out.

You have to use your hands when eating the marrow, which can be a bit messy, but it’s worth it in the end.

Here are some ways to eat bone marrow straight from the bone and enjoy every bit:

1. Feel free to use your hands and tilt the bone to access all its contents. Handle the bone and try to poke it with a spoon. Handle the bone carefully, as it may be a bit greasy from drippings from the marrow.
2. Use a spoon to scoop out the cooked marrow , similar to how you would scoop out the insides of a squash or zucchini. Be sure to avoid any hard pieces of bone that may break off during cooking.
3. You can use chopsticks to scrape up all the marrow from hard-to-reach places , like the sides, where a spoon might not work.
4. Use a piece of bread to wet the inside of the bone to soak up all the juices so you can enjoy every last bit of marrow.
5. For a fun ending to your meal, pour a shot over the bone and enjoy the remains of the marrow . Jameson Irish whiskey is a very popular drink for this purpose.

How to use the marrow in the kitchen

Until a few years ago, bone marrow was considered dog food, and it was incredibly cheap. However, with its rise in popularity, it is becoming harder to find and more expensive to purchase.

You can enjoy a delicious marrow at your favorite restaurant or prepare it yourself at home.

You can use bones from any animal, including cows, goats, sheep, and elk, with beef bone marrow being the most popular choice among home cooks and beginners, due to the size of the bones and their easy availability.

Some of the most popular sources of bone marrow are hock bones, hock marrow bones, neck marrow bones, and oxtail.

If you plan to cook marrow at home, it requires a bit of preparation and you have to decide if you need whole pieces of bone or cut from the center.

If you plan to use the marrow as a base for bone broth or soup, you can use whole bones in your recipes.

Instead, if you choose to roast the marrow from the bone, you’ll need to ask the butcher to split the bones lengthwise to make it easier to remove the marrow and give it a more presentable appearance.

Although marrow is present in all bones, not all of them are suitable for making marrow dishes. You have to look for wider bones with thick marrow deposits.

To prepare the bones for cooking, you have to soak them in salted water a day before and store them in the fridge.

This step removes blood stains and bacteria, as well as firming up the marrow for cooking.

The longer you leave the bones in the salt water, the more blood will be drawn from them and you will notice how clean they are.

As an added step, you can remove excess meat from the bones before cooking to make them look more presentable.

You can do this by taking an old knife and using the back of it to scrape any excess meat from the bones. If you’ve soaked the bones in salt water beforehand, removing the meat should be fairly easy.

After preparing them, here are some ways to enjoy them:

roasted marrow

Roasted marrow, sometimes called the “poor man’s foie gras,” is a great appetizer that you can easily make at home.

For this recipe, you can ask your butcher to cut the bones lengthwise to make it easier to season and remove the marrow once cooked.

Cutting bones at home can be a bit difficult, especially if you have no previous experience, and you will need a few tools, such as a meat cleaver or a band saw, along with a steady pair of hands.

As an alternative, you can also use uncut bone marrow. It will cook in the same way as the cut bones, but you will need a small spoon or chopsticks to access the marrow once it is done.

To make roasted marrow, you will need

• Preheat oven to 425°F and line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil. If using uncut marrow, increase the temperature to 450°F.
• Season the marrow aggressively with salt to bring out the flavors.
• Place the pieces on the lined cookie sheet marrow side up. Space them evenly so the heat can circulate.
• Bake the marrow at 425°F for about 20 minutes. Be sure not to over bake the bones, as the marrow will melt completely and you won’t be able to eat it.
• When the marrow starts to bubble slightly, it’s done.

You can enjoy the delicious marrow as is or spread it like butter on your choice of toasted or crusty bread.

The mild, nutty flavor of the hot marrow, along with the crunchy texture of the bread, go together very well and make a delicious dish.

You can also dress the marrow with a mixture of parsley, shallots, oil, lemon juice and capers, and accompany it with a light and refreshing salad for a nice contrast of flavors.

Another great option is to spread some roasted marrow over a piece of steak or serve it as a side dish with a big chunk of protein. Just make sure you don’t pair it with heavy foods like potatoes or pasta, as it’s so tasty.

If you don’t like fresh herbs, you can also consider using flavored butter to bring out the rich flavor of the marrow, or add crumbled blue cheese for a nice creamy accent.

Other uses of marrow

In addition to roasting the marrow and serving it as an appetizer, side dish, or main course, this delicacy can be enjoyed in other ways as well. You can make meatballs and marrow soup, or the more popular bone broth.

Bone broth is made by cooking the bones in seasoned water and vegetables of your choice for a good 24-48 hours.

The mixture is allowed to simmer in order to extract all the nutrients and beneficial compounds from the bone and bone marrow.

During the process, the bone marrow dissolves into the liquid, adding great flavor and texture.  The minerals and proteins from the bone also dissolve in it, providing a healthy boost to the broth.

When the broth is ready, the liquid is strained, seasoned with other ingredients and served hot.

Bone broth is a popular dish on the paleo diet, as it includes ingredients that were only eaten in the stone age, such as grass-fed meat, fish, fresh fruit, vegetables, nuts, and legumes. .

Related questions

Now that you know what bone marrow tastes like and how you can incorporate this delicacy into your meals, here are a few additional questions that we thought might help you further!

What to look for when buying bone marrow?

As with all meats, you need to make sure you buy a high-quality product, preferably organic and farm-raised.

You want to look for bones that have been thoroughly cleaned by the butcher and are a nice pale pink color. Blood stains on the surface are fine and acceptable.

Since the marrow is deposited in the center of the bones, it is difficult to know exactly how much marrow is inside the bones until you open them up.

For this reason, it’s always smart to buy a little extra and ask your butcher to cut them vertically or horizontally, depending on how you want to cook and serve them.

Can marrow be frozen?

Like other perishable meats, marrow freezes well if kept at the proper temperature (0°F or below).

You can also freeze cooked marrow for up to 3 months, simply by storing it in an airtight container. When you want to use it, thaw it in the fridge overnight, heat it up and use it however you like.

How long can bone broth be stored?

If you have excess bone broth, you can store it in an airtight container in the fridge for 5-7 days. You can put it in the freezer if you want to keep it longer, up to 6 months or 1 year.

You can pour the broth into a container of your choice, depending on how much you need to store and how many individual batches you need.

If you want to make large batches, you can store the broth in jars or freezer-safe bags. If you need small batches, you can pour the broth into an ice cube tray and transfer the frozen cubes to a freezer-safe bag or container.

Just be sure to label your frozen broth so you don’t get confused later trying to figure out what that mysterious brown liquid is in your freezer, and of course, to use it before it goes bad.