Roasted marrow bones - OT thoughts

15 years ago

I'm a Boomer, and a long-time foodie (it runs in my family, LOL). DH and I have watched the trends in food swing away from the classic French and the food writings of people like Richard Olney and James Beard, to the California Chicken Salad of the 70's, the arugula salads of the 80's, bottled upscale ice tea and turkey bacon in the 90's, artisanal and the local/sustainable/organic emphasis in the 21st century.

We're less into Modernist than traditional. Foams and unidentifiable gelees don't interest us much. We've been happy to see such things as sweetbreads, veal Cordon Bleu, and roasted marrow start to show up on menus again.

We just finished our third trip through the California Wine Country. We live nearby, so retirement has given us the opportunity to eat often and well out here.

Now to the point of this ramble - We ate lunch at Bistro Jeanty in Yountville, who's as much of a traditionalist French chef as you could ask for. Roasted marrow was on the regular menu, so I ordered it, as I do anytime I see it.

It's a generous serving of three large marrow bones. Even better, it comes with the real thing, a classic Bordelaise made with marrow.

So I asked the busboy for a marrow spoon.

He brought me over....a soup spoon!

"No, I want a marrow spoon," I said politely with a smile, and handed the soup spoon back to him.

[Hastily whispered conference between the busboy and waiter ensues.]

"Ummm, this is what we have," and the waiter gave me a lobster fork and demitasse spoon to use.

Curious, I went on the web afterwards. Marrow spoons are around $45 apiece retail! Not surprising, perhaps; there's obviously little demand for them anymore.

But it was actually pretty funny to see how flummoxed the waitstaff was. I got the distinct impression they had never heard of a marrow spoon before.

And boy, does that make me feel old......! [grin]

The classic marrow spoon:

{{gwi:1510999}}

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Comments (12)

colleenoz
15 years ago
Why would a place serve marrow bones if they had no utensils with which to get at the marrow???
jakkom
Original Author
15 years ago
These were beef marrow bones. Marrow spoons are used more for the classic osso bucco. But I've always preferred them even for beef marrow; often there's a thin layer of bone capping off one end. The marrow spoon scoops it all out nicely, whereas a lobster fork just cuts the marrow to pieces but doesn't get it out. A demitasse spoon, being pointed at the tip, is narrow enough to get into a beef bone but doesn't easily pull the delicate marrow out.

It's complicated by the fact that those marrow bones are HOT to pick up, LOL. But they were sooooo tasty.....!
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Sorry to be so late responding. I appreciate all of the advice. My e-mail has been acting up so I didnÃ¢ÂÂt get any notifications and forgot to look here. I thought of cooking it outside just to keep the odor out of the house. Using the garage isnÃ¢ÂÂt practical with our house design. It turned out not to be a problem inside. I think that I've cooked it a higher temp in the past - often a vigorous simmer instead of barely a simmer. Much better broth quality with the lower temp. Grainlady, the homemade boullion cubes looks great! IÃ¢ÂÂll remember that for the future. Ajsmama, the bones are from the half cow that I purchased last summer. Since most people donÃ¢ÂÂt want them, I suspect I can get more from the processor quite inexpensively. I love the effect of the parboiling. I put the bones in a stockpot, then covered with cold water. My stove brings this to a boil in a few minutes. After a vigorous 3 minute boil, all kinds of crud surfaced. I rinsed the bones, then roasted them, and made the stock as usual. There was almost nothing to skim during the stock making and the stock tastes wonderful. I probably didnÃ¢ÂÂt cool the stock as quickly as I should have, but it was all down to room temperature within 30 minutes from removing it from the stove, and straight into the fridge. I wish IÃ¢ÂÂd thought to use the blue frozen packs as we have a ton of them. I sadly ended up losing half of my bones before I started, so made this on top of the stove. Fortunately itÃ¢ÂÂs easy to maintain a bare simmer on that stove. I found that the pan from my 24 quart roaster fits perfectly in my prep sink. We filled the sink with ice and water so that it came up around the sides of the pan; then strained the stock into the pan & stirred to cool. Since my stock was very concentrated, I also added ice directly to the stock, about 2 trayÃ¢ÂÂs worth. This was a mistake, as I did lose the visible gelatin. It still tastes good, but I certainly won't dilute if at all when drinking.
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So I bought a bunch of marrow scoops and finally put one to the test for lunch today. It seemed like a good bulk of google searches led me to the same recipe, so it's the one I used. I must say that once I stopped being scared of it and plopped a good blob on my bread, I really enjoyed it and saw the appeal. Good thing, as I spent a small fortune on those spoons. I can be a real idiot when it comes to impulse buying. Anyway, a question: What do "proper" roasted marrow bones look like? The marrow from the top and bottom of the bone was kind of grayish brown as in dcarch's pictures and had a loose jello consistency. The middle was also gelatinous, but firmer and more salmon colored. Is this mixture ok or did I undercook it? I slightly preferred the gray for its beefier flavor, but I'd have been afraid of it all melting away had I roasted it longer. Plus I liked the "salmon", too. Here is a link that might be useful: Fergus Henderson's Roasted Marrow Bones
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This is not an answer but it sure brought back a memory. We were in Nanjing, China earlier this year to pick up our granddaughter. At the restaurants we ordered by picture or guess. One restaurant had a picture of a bridge made out of ribs so we pointed and they brought us a bridge literally made from ribs filled with the tastiest meat I had ever consumed. When we had all picked the bones clean, or so we thought, the waitress took them away and came back about fifteen minutes later with a bowl filled with the meat scraps off of the bones along with pieces of the bone marrow cooked in a marvelous herb rub. Our chop sticks were soon busy dipping and digging until this was bowl was history. Now there was nothing left for the cooks to prepare again for us so we waddle back to the hotel. I am sorry that I have yet to figure out how to post pictures on this site, otherwise I would put up a picture. We still have not identified the meat. It may have been pork but others have voted for donkey. I will put a picture on our web page. Here is a link that might be useful: travelling and cooking with grandpa
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Here ya go... Devilled Beef Bones From "Bones," by Jennifer McLagan. After the cooking is over, a standing rib roast yields another treat. You can return the bones to the oven to crisp them, then eat them as-is. Or you can refrigerate them and use them to make this the next day. The number of servings depends on how many bones you have -- and how willing you are to share. 1/3 cup unsalted butter 1 teaspoon dry mustard (or 1/4 homemade mustard) 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper 3 to 5 leftover beef rib bones 1 cup fresh bread crumbs PREHEAT the broiler to high. Melt the butter in a small saucepan. Remove from heat and stir in the mustard, cayenne and Worcestershire. Season with salt and pepper. BRUSH the ribs with the spiced butter, then roll in the bread crumbs, coating well. Place in a broiler pan and broil, turning occasionally and basting with remaining butter, until golden brown, 12 to 15 minutes. I've wanted to try these for years but haven't gotten around to actually doing it. /tricia
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dcarch7 d c f l a s h 7 @ y a h o o . c o m
15 years ago
I have given up asking for marrow spoons in restaurants. When I go out, I take my own with me.

I also enjoy that little bit of marrow in chicken and turkey bones. For that I also have a took to pick out the marrow.

dcarch
lindac
15 years ago
I have long had a longing....no, in truth a lust, for one or more 18th century English marrow spoons...With proper hallmarks, of course.
Somehow stainless isn't the same.
teresa_nc7
15 years ago
What??? You don't already have marrow spoons, LindaC? I'm shocked....shocked I tell you! ;o)
jakkom
Original Author
15 years ago
I once worked with a woman who came from an 'old money' family. She had inherited not only the crystal and china, but the full-service silverware. I think each place setting had something like 13 or 14 pieces of flatware! I never checked but I'll bet she had marrow spoons, LOL.
arley_gw
15 years ago
Even more OT: according to an old English folk song, eggs and marrowbone are used to blind a spouse prior to doing him in. This song has been recorded under many titles; Steeleye Span recorded it as 'The Woman from Wexford', but there are all sorts of versions. They all entail, though, a wife conspiring to do her hubby in; all the versions I've heard, though, include a twist at the end.

Here is a link that might be useful: eggs and marrowbones
jessyf
15 years ago
Arley - I have 'Below the Salt' in my car, I listen to it often, cranking up 'King Henry' and 'Saucy Sailor', my two faves on the album.
colleenoz
15 years ago
I love Steeleye Span, when DD was tiny she loved listening to "Black Jack Baby" :-D
arley_gw
15 years ago
Actually, I got my folk groups mixed up. Steeleye Span did record this, as (logically enough) "Marrowbones" on 'Ten Man Mop, or Mr. Reservoir Butler Rides again'; however, it was Tommy Makem & the Clancy Brothers that recorded it as "Old Woman from Wexford".

Doggone it, this made me break out some of my old Steelye Span LP's and even order a couple of their CD compilations. The CF is a bad influence on me...
cloudy_christine
15 years ago
Another Steeleye Span flashback happening here. Dug out the records a couple of months ago when Pandora served up a group called Old Blind Dogs doing a great version of "The Cruel Sister," an old English ballad that Pentangle recorded back in our youth. We had to listen to our old Pentangle and Steeleye Span and Fairport Convention albums. We always listen to Steeleye Span at Christmas, "Gaudete" on Below the Salt, and Maddy Prior's solo Christmas album. My favorite Steeleye Span song is "Cam' ye O'er Frae France" on Parcel of Rogues.

Jkom started this thread saying she's a boomer, and here we are, a short trip from marrow spoons to our old folkie memories. Gotta love this forum.
jessyf
15 years ago
ROFL CC, I'll see your Steeleye Span, Fairport Convention, and raise you a Renaissance. I'd sing Gaudete with you anytime.

Roasted marrow bones - OT thoughts

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