Roasted Bone Marrow with Herb-Lime Dressing

My local butcher usually has frozen cut beef bones in their freezer section. At about $3 for 5lbs of it, I couldn’t help but pick some up. The trick to making ultra decadent roasted bone marrow is to not allow the fat to be rendered out while cooking it through on a high enough heat that the roasted smoky flavor is still incorporated into it.

You’ll want some acidity to cut through the grease, something juicy and crunchy to make it refreshing, and something carbohydrate-y to spread the marrow on.

I grow a lot of herbs in the garden, so I threw the ones I felt would compliment it the most into this dressing. Word of advice–if you have the gene that makes you think cilantro tastes soapy, omit it and replace it with more parsley (or even dill or basil, if that’s your jam.)

You could also replace the lime with lemon, or with a nice champagne or red wine vinegar.

Ingredients for the Dressing

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lime juice
• 1/2 teaspoon lime zest
• 1 clove garlic
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon minced onion

1. Combine everything except the minced onion, salt, and pepper in a food processor, and blend until combined.
2. Add minced onion, salt and pepper to taste, and chill in the fridge while the bone marrow is roasting.

Ingredients for the Marrow

• 2 – 3 cut beef bones, preferable 2 – 2.5 inches in diameter and 3 inches long.
• Herb-lime dressing (Recipe above)
• 10 – 12 slices of cucumber
• Toast points
• Course salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place bones upright in roasting pan, small side up.
3. Roast for about 20 minutes, or until the marrow begins to just pull away from the edges of the bone. Do not allow it to render too much or there won’t be much marrow left.
4. Carefully remove from roasting pan, sprinkle with coarse salt and pepper, and serve with cucumbers, dressing, and toast points. A small spoon or knife to scoop the marrow out.