Bone Butter

As you may already know, I’m a big fan of efficiency in the kitchen and garden. Our food system has become wildly fragmented, leading to immense amounts of waste and lower nutrient-density foods among other things. If we simply begin to be more efficient with the foods we purchase and cook, we can lessen our carbon footprint, save money, get more nutrition out of our meals, and contribute to restorative local agriculture.

So, what exactly am I talking about? I’m talking about bones and organ meats! Traditional cultures always valued and utilized the entirety of an animal. Organ meats and bones have great nutritional value and are actually quite flavorful. Additionally, it prevents any part of the animal from being wasted.

At first I was honestly grossed out by organ meats, but knew that adding this into my weekly cooking was both important and valuable. While eating these foods didn’t sound super appetizing, intuitively I was thrilled to be connecting with my roots and employing a more ecological and ancestral way of eating. I experimented a ton in the kitchen to make these foods a little bit more appealing and palatable, and this recipe is the result of working with marrow bones!

Marrow bones are prized for their rich flavor and nutrient-density by many indigenous cultures. They were traditionally used to help those suffering from illness or a long period of convalescence, to support pregnancy, and as an early food for babies and children! 

Marrow is high in healthy fats, such as CLA, as well as a number of amino acids, minerals, and vitamins, including: riboflavin, thiamine, biotin, vitamin B12, iron, phosphorous, vitamin A, vitamin E, collagen, adiponectin, glycine, chondroitin, and glucosamine. These various nutrients contribute to reducing inflammation, promoting joint and skin health, energy production, and immune function.

Hopefully all of this juicy info has you ready to try out this tasty treat! It is Halloween and bones certainly seem to be a festive match, so let’s try out one of my favorite recipes.

The Recipe

3 lbs. bone marrow

2 sticks butter

¼ c chopped garlic

½ c freshly chopped herbs (parsley, rosemary, thyme, etc.)

3 t unrefined sea salt (to taste)

3 t black pepper (to taste)

1. Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Spread out bones on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.

2. Roast bones for 15-25 minutes until marrow is bubbly, tender, and slightly browned.

3. Let the bones cool and then scoop out the marrow into a blender.

4. Add in the remaining ingredients.

5. Blend thoroughly, tamping down the entire time to keep things evenly mixed.

6. Add the butter to ½ pint mason jars or a butter dish for easy spreading.

7. Once it has cooled to room temperature, seal with an airtight lid and store in the fridge or freezer.

Enjoy!!

**As always we want to prioritize ingredients that are: local, pasture-raised, unrefined, fair trade, organic, and responsibly sourced whenever possible. I don’t list these next to my ingredients because I think it can be overwhelming when reading a recipe, but know that I prioritize all of these things whenever possible. They are both important and worth the extra cost.**

“We need to stop calling local food expensive and start calling it valuable.” -@womenwhofarm