I love my field research for this blog. I may have found a new Red Bull alternative for y’all: bone marrow. From lahealthyliving.com:
Bone marrow is a fatty, jello like substance found in the core of bones. It’s a nutrient dense and rich in energy substances that all types of animals are primarily drawn toward when they capture prey.
I baked a whole chicken for dinner. Being the animal that I am, I inherently felt the urge to consume the whole bird. If it was a wild turkey that I hunted with a spear rather than an organic chicken purchased from a market, and I was dependent on the nourishment for sustenance, you better believe that I wouldn’t let any valuable morsel of that beautiful game go to waste. From Mark’s Daily Apple:
There’s another reason – a big reason, actually – why animals of all stripes are drawn toward bone marrow and why you should head down to the butcher for some bones: the taste. A subtle, creamy nuttiness, sometimes a bit sweet, always extremely rich, is not to be casually disregarded. The taste is incredible, either eaten straight up with a touch of sea salt or as part of a rich, hearty stew. Its high quality fuel imbued with vitamins and minerals, but it’s delicious fuel that’d be worth eating even if it were devoid of nutrition. Luckily for us, though (and counter to what we’re taught about nutrition), what appeals to our taste buds on a basic level usually also nourishes. Marrow may be a “sinful treat” for most, but it deserves to be a kitchen staple for Primal eaters.
I can honestly say I enjoyed eating the softer, edible bones of the chicken that I just now devoured more than the meat. I inhaled some of the harder portions as well; if I could grind it up in my teeth, it was going down.
Now, most folks aren’t going to be crushing a plate full of bones, although our jaws and teeth are adequately equipped. More generally, humans transform the bones into broth or stock, which I’m thrilled to experiment with at some point. But my intuition is leading me down the path of chewing, rather than drinking, as I would in the wild animal kingdom. I view this like juicing versus just eating the damn veggie. Why make bone broth when I can just eat the tendons, ligaments, joints and marrow, and taste the explosion of savory flavor with every gratifying bite?
Fatty and rich, the marrow of said bones left me feeling satiated and satisfied. Knowing this was something I was going to write up had me totally present in the moment. I crunched through the neck bone and delighted in the delicacy. Wow. I was (and sort of still am) completely locked into the experience. Now I’m listening to Native American drumming, my eyes wide. I may paint my face and begin to chant.
The bone marrow has spiked my energy levels. Normally at this time of evening, I’m ready to close my eyes. Whether or not I can turn this into the next energy supplement, one thing is for certain, the health benefits of bone marrow are numerous. From the same lahealthyliving.com piece:
Bone marrow fulfills many vital roles due to its high content of vitamins, minerals, essential fatty acids, and lipids (alkylglycerols). Bone marrow helps the immune system by carrying oxygen to cells in the body. It is one of the most effective remedies for the gut lining. Consuming bone marrow will help improve brain function, maintain healthy bones, support immune systems and speed up the healing process of any injury or fracture.
So, are you with me? Do you have a good broth recipe? Is anyone going to join me in masticating the osseous matter?
I feel it in my bones; this marrow thing makes sense.
Kap
Legit! Grassfed raw bone marrow topically is legit for skincare as well. Loaded with growth factors, minerals and good fats. Right on man!
Much appreciated as always, Andy. Good stuff.
Just had some bone marrow at a restaurant in Worcester this past week – it was great! Roasted, with a parsley and shallot salad on top.
The butcher shop by me sells marrow bones awfully cheap. I have them cut the bone in half length-wise and then I roast them off and spread the marrow over toast. There’s a restaurant in Cambridge that scoops out the marrow and incorporates it into ground hamburg which then gets formed into burger patties.
I’m sure it’s just the wording but I’ve always associated broths as coming from the meat of an animal whereas a stock comes from the bones. There are a lot of great recipes on the web for stocks but I’d encourage you to use a pressure cooker to make them. Pressure cooking just wrings out so much more flavor and as an added benefit, has the stock done in about 40mins (as opposed to 4-5 hours on a stove top). I’m kind of a foodie and one of my favorite food writers said that the best thing a cook can do to make their meals at home be more along the lines of restaurant quality is to make your own stock. They are so much better homemade and are versatile, as they can make soups, be a sauce, or form the base of a sauce.
First time writing in but I’m a huge fan and love all the writing you do not just on your site but on the other platforms you’re involved with. It was great hearing you on EEI a few weeks back. Keep up the great work Kap!
Ben,
I’m so grateful for your feedback on this post. Thanks for chiming in with positivity. Please come back and check in soon.
Kap
I’m a BIG fan of marrow. Especially beef. Ask your butcher to cut the bones in half length wise. Roast the bones at 400° until the marrow in soft then spread it on your toast of choice and top with a salad of italian flat leaf parsley, shallot, capers, lemon juice and salt & pepper!
Oops. Ben beat me to it.
Gabe,
I truly admire your approach to your diet. In our society of eating processed and refined foods, it is uplifting to see someone who finds such joy in getting back to basics and eating like our primal ancestors. I just tried bone marrow the other day, and after reading this, I’m going to have to find where I can get a steady supply. Thanks again for another entertaining and informational post!
-Robert