aGreatChef.com Blog – Food Blog of Chef Robert Conaway

I know, I know…what’s the deal with this? I am constantly harassed by my friends about the food I choose to eat. Menudo, chicken feet, coagulated pork blood and yes, bone marrow. I find it kinda funny that everyone is so interested in what I choose to eat, guess I should take it as a compliment.

I was wandering through my nearest grocery store the other night and say these fresh, tasty bones staring at me. Marrow bones…it has been quite a while since I had enjoyed this simple pleasure…so I dove in and picked up a 6 pack.

Now one of the great things about marrow bone is their nutritional value. Loaded with good fats and protein, this is brain food at it’s best. There have been some studies that seem to suggest that the rise of modern humans, and the increase in our brain size and it’s relation to cognitive thought are due to our consumption of marrow. We are the only inhabitants of this planet with the knowledge and the tools to break into large bones after the kill, so marrow was kinda our pot o gold after the hunt.

Marrow is quite tasty and easy to make, just take the raw bones and lightly dust them with some ground sea salt. Then bake the bones in a 375 degree oven until the tops are a wee but concave and a small amount of fat is sizzling in the pan. This usually occurs in 15 minutes or so. Remove and cool at room temp for 5 or so minutes and your off to the races.

Now just grab a glass (or 2) of a nice, hearty red wine, a few slices of lightly toasted baguette and your ready to hang out with our Neanderthal ancestors (well, minus the wine and bread if your gonna be picky) for a moment in time. And just think, you may just replace some of those brain cells you blew out in college…