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Whipped Bone Marrow Recipe, 6+ Months

Whipped Bone Marrow Recipe 6+ Months | Megan GarciaFun fact: Bone marrow has iron in it. Which means this whipped bone marrow recipe is one more way to bring meaty minerals into your baby’s diet.

Bone marrow is also fatty. And as an iron-rich fat, you can use it in sweet and savory dishes alike, making it a wonderful source of heme iron for babies who’d rather eat a sweet potato mash over liver pate or a lamb chop.

Why bone marrow rules my world

There are some foods for baby that I literally obsess over. These foods are largely underused and yet packed with many of the nutrients that babies need.

Liver is one. And bone marrow is another.

Bone marrow is found inside of bones. And it’s a production powerhouse, full of life-giving stem cells – pumping out red blood cells, white blood cells, bone cells, and fat cells.

Bone marrow also has vasculature moving blood to and fro. And where you find blood, you find iron.

Iron is a big deal for babies. It’s a meaty mineral that I love to love. You can find hints of my obsession all over the place – on Instagram, in blog posts, and in this online class for beginning solids. Chances are, your pediatrician is also interested in your baby’s iron levels.

But why?

  • Iron is brain food. For example, research reveals that babies who are anemic before the age of two have lower scores in school achievement and cognition from 4 – 19 years of age.
  • Iron supports myelination. It turns out you can find quite a bit of iron in the brain cells that produce myelin. Myelin-making brain cells = white matter in the brain…and white matter = intelligence.
  • Iron deficiency cannot be undone. Even when corrected, low levels of iron during babyhood – or iron deficiency anemia – has been found to impact language development, motor development, and emotional development.

As with most things, there’s a balance to how much iron you give your baby.

Food naturally rich in heme iron (such as liver, cuts of beef and lamb, the dark meat of chicken, shellfish, and bone marrow) positively supports your baby’s iron levels. Even when eaten in small amounts, as babies do.

Bone marrow has roughly 2.7 mg of iron for every four tablespoons – which is equivalent to what you find in one tablespoon of liver. This is more iron than you’d find in pork, poultry, lamb, and some cuts of beef.

Beyond iron, Chinese medicine claims that bone marrow has some serious restorative mojo.

Bone marrow is known for its ability to deeply fortify the body. If your baby shows signs of “failure to thrive,” such as slow weight gain or not reaching developmental milestones, offer your baby bone marrow more frequently and in the place of fats like butter and ghee.

How to pick + handle marrow bones

When roasted, bone marrow is a jiggly white and pinkish blob with brown ends (this is why we whip it).

While you can find plenty of marrow within the center of the bone, there are all sorts of nooks and crannies around the ends of the bone where marrow can get stuck.

You can get around those nooks and crannies (and the most bang for your buck) by asking for a long cut.

These canoe cut marrow bones are perfect.

Also important: Avoid ends when buying marrow bones, which are made of hard red marrow. Choose cuts from the center of the bone.

Should you soak your bones before roasting?

In Odd Bits, chef and author Jennifer McLagan suggests soaking bones in salted ice water to remove blood.

But blood contains iron. And since we’re celebrating this unctuous meat butter because it’s a fairly good source of iron, skip the soak.

Whipped bone marrow recipe

Whipped Bone Marrow Recipe, 6+ Months - Megan GarciaCara Nicoletti – sausage maker extraordinaire – makes bone marrow look beautiful and presentable by WHIPPING it. With a whisk attachment. In a bowl. How easy is that? And the results are worth it.

If you follow the principles of baby-led weaning, use like you would butter or any other fat – for example, mashed into a starchy veggie, like sweet potato or squash.

If you are working with purees, add whipped marrow to your puree.

Ingredients

  • 2 – 3 lbs of beef femur bones from the midsection of the bone, click here to shop for marrow bones

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 425 F. Place marrow bones, marrow side-up, on a baking sheet. Roast for 25 minutes or until much of the fat has rendered out and marrow is pulling away from the sides.
  2. Remove from oven. After the bones have cooled enough to touch, scoop the marrow out and into a bowl. Also, pour all fat from your baking sheet and into the bowl. Place it in the refrigerator.
  3. Once the marrow is cold (the fat should firm up), use a mixer with a whisk attachment to whip until the bone marrow is white and fluffy.
  4. Whipped marrow lasts 3 weeks in the fridge and 6 months in the freezer.

Have you made this bone marrow recipe before? What’s your favorite way to use it?

First Foods + Beyond | Megan Garcia

This is not medical advice and any statements made about the use of herbs, supplements, or food have not been evaluated by the FDA and are not meant to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. 

Please note that some of the products on this page may be an affiliate link. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase within a specific amount of time, I get a commission. The commission is paid by third parties, not you. Thank you for your support!

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mallory says

    July 19, 2018 at 4:35 PM

    Hi Megan! We are about to try bone marrow for the first time and will be using this recipe! I am curious if the bones can be used to make broth after the marrow is used, or, if there really wouldn’t be anything left for the bones to give after being roasted and de-marrowed?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      July 20, 2018 at 9:42 AM

      Hey Mallory,

      The bones make an AMAZING stock – very gelatinous. When roasting, you’re really just going after the fatty marrow. So all the tough collagen on the side of the bones and the bone itself breaks down in the stock.

      xxo!!

      Reply
  2. Jessica Curtis says

    October 31, 2018 at 7:33 AM

    Hi Megan! Can you feed the marrow whip straight up to your baby? Or is it typically just used to mix in with dishes? Thx 🙂

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      November 1, 2018 at 10:02 PM

      Hey Jessica,

      Both work great. You can also freeze in a silicone tray – the kind with small shapes – and then once frozen, give to baby in a silicone feeder xxo!!

      Reply
    • Ben says

      February 16, 2021 at 5:29 PM

      Hi,

      What is a good serving size of whipped marrow per meal for an 8month old? And how often would you recommend feeding them bone marrow?

      Thx,
      Ben

      Reply
      • Megan Garcia says

        February 17, 2021 at 9:54 AM

        Hey Ben,

        You could start with a tsp to a tbsp daily. The easiest way to do this is to freeze it in tablespoon size portions. It can be given directly to baby or mixed into food – like mashes and purees.

        xxo

        Reply
  3. jennifer says

    November 24, 2018 at 11:40 AM

    Hi there! Question: All marrow bones I’ve seen are round, not halved. When you say to lay the bones marrow-side up for roasting, how do you cut the bones in half? Will it work with whole bones not halved? Thanks so much!!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      November 25, 2018 at 12:14 PM

      Hey Jennifer!

      Definitely works without halved bones.

      If you get them from a butcher shop, they can cut them. Otherwise, you can also place the bones marrow up (rather than on their side) it helps keep all the fat in one place as it renders.

      The bones from US Wellness work too. Just make sure that when you get them, it’s the mid portion aka the long bone – that’s where the softy fatty marrow is at! Rather than the ends or knuckles, which has hard red marrow xxo

      Reply
  4. Priscila Westerhof says

    January 4, 2019 at 2:41 PM

    Hi Megan!
    I’m working with frozen bone marrow, the organic butcher near my house doesn’t have the fresh one. How do you recommend I defrost it?
    Big thanks!!!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      January 4, 2019 at 10:50 PM

      Hey Priscila!

      I usually get frozen too. You can defrost them overnight in the fridge.

      xxo!!

      Reply
  5. Lia kkeinishvili says

    January 16, 2019 at 9:28 AM

    Hello Megan, I need help. My baby just turned 7 month. I tried to give her egg, chicken but she doesn’t like it. I don’t know where to get grass fed bone marrow or liver pate. If anyone knows where to buy can you please let me know. Thanks , lia

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      January 17, 2019 at 8:10 AM

      Hey Lia,

      Definitely keep exposing her to a variety of foods, especially those that are full of #meatyminerals. Repeat exposure helps with acceptance, especially when baby just begins solids. For bone marrow and liver, are you able to purchase these from US Wellness Meats?

      xxo!!

      Reply
  6. Nadia Earnest says

    January 24, 2019 at 10:47 PM

    Hey there what if we put the bone marrow in the fridge
    Before we whipped it 🤦🏻‍♀️ Are we still able to whip it somehow and what’s the best way to use this. For some reason I thought this was one of the ingredients for
    Liver Pate but i guess not. Now I’m
    Not sure what to use it for

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      January 25, 2019 at 9:20 AM

      Hey Nadia!

      You can probably still whip it – I would soften it at room temp but make sure it’s still slightly chilled before whipping. When the fat hardens, that helps to create that whipped texture. Once it’s whipped, I would portion it into 1 tablespoon sized spoonfuls and freeze in a baby food tray, ice cube tray or even sheet pan. Once frozen, store in a freezer bag and use as needed.

      It’s great to mix into food, especially mashed veggies or fruit that wouldn’t otherwise have iron. Folks love mixing it into applesauce and sweet potatoes. I have a recipe for bone marrow fritters here (3 ingredients mashed with a fork!) and babies love it: https://megangarcia.com/banana-fritters-recipe-for-baby-6-months/

      I also throw marrow cubes into chili, pasta sauce, and curry. It’s super yummy.

      xxo!!

      Reply
  7. Lindsey Goode says

    January 27, 2019 at 7:24 PM

    Hey Megan!

    Will whipped bone marrow cause constipation? How often would you suggest feeding it to babies daily/weekly? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      January 28, 2019 at 11:42 PM

      Hey Lindsey,

      Iron supplements will cause constipation but bone marrow contains very easy-to-absorb heme iron and doesn’t have this effect.

      I like to make a batch and store portions in the freezer. Depending on the rest of baby’s diet, you can give daily or a couple times a week. Just be sure to include plenty of foods with those #meatyminerals

      xxo!!

      Reply
  8. Danielle Herlihy says

    February 4, 2019 at 12:13 PM

    Ahhh Megan, I read somewhere (maybe first foods and beyond on FB) that I could roast my bones from frozen state. They were frozen and put in oven @ 425 for 25 minutes. I’m letting them cool now but since I’m a first timer idk if they are fully cooked? I should just be scooping out the middle, correct? Or since I did not thaw prior to roasting are they no longer good? Thanks!!!!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      February 4, 2019 at 2:15 PM

      YES! I often roast when frozen. Just make sure the marrow is pulling away from the sides of the bone and you’ve got plenty of rendered marrow fat. Then scoop out the marrow and collect the fat in a bowl to chill just a bit before whipping.

      xxo!!

      Reply
      • Keri Hanson says

        March 7, 2019 at 9:54 AM

        Any advice for the smoke? Had to open up all the doors and windows because the fat in the bones was setting off smoke alarms 🙈

        Reply
        • Megan Garcia says

          March 7, 2019 at 10:55 PM

          Hey Keri,

          I haven’t had this problem! Maybe it was splattering or dripping? Smoke happens when there’s fat directly on the heat source. Maybe try covering it next time and see if that helps.

          Let me how it goes xxo!!

          Reply
  9. Katie says

    February 15, 2019 at 6:12 AM

    Hello! If baby seems ready to try food before 6 months, is there any reason not to offer this in particular? Checking since this is indicated as 6+ months. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      February 15, 2019 at 1:02 PM

      Hey mama,

      If babe is ready before 6 months, go ahead and offer. Current WHO guidelines are *around* 6 months, it really depends on baby. Marrow is wonderful first food!

      Reply
  10. bobby t. says

    March 18, 2019 at 6:07 PM

    after whipping it, do you leave it on the counter to serve during dinner later or back in the fridge?

    Thanks.

    Bobby

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      March 19, 2019 at 3:41 PM

      Hey Bobby,

      I would store in the fridge. It does harden when cold, so I would bring it out 30 minutes or so before dinner.

      Reply
  11. Natzieli Alvarez Acosta says

    May 15, 2019 at 12:54 PM

    My mother purchased beef bones for my little man right after I showed her your article. She’s so happy to be a part of our son’s healthy development. I have a question for you, after receiving our bones we noticed that there are those short cut ones in the mix. I roasted half of our order with some of the short ones. My question is, should I avoid giving my son the marrow from those specific bones?

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      May 15, 2019 at 3:24 PM

      Hey Natzieli,

      As long as they have the fatty “yellow” marrow, you’re good! The bones that don’t work for this recipe are knuckle bones that have hard, red marrow. Those are great for stock, but not so much for bone marrow butter.

      xxo!!

      Reply
  12. Camille says

    November 24, 2019 at 8:38 AM

    I noticed a lot of the recipes say 6+ months. My baby is almost 5 months old and I am thinking of trying foods with him soon. I’d like to start with meat, our pediatrician suggested cereal. Is it safe to introduce meat before 6 months?

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      November 24, 2019 at 9:27 AM

      Hey Camille,

      Six months is roughly when baby may be ready for solids, according to the World Health Organization. Whether you start at 5 months or 6 months, it is recommended to begin with meat or an iron-rich food. Cereal is fortified with different forms of iron so that it’s iron-rich but the heme iron in meat is better absorbed and used by baby. I have a whole class that walks you through this here: https://megangarcia.com/first-foods-and-beyond/

      xxo!!

      Reply
  13. Amy says

    November 25, 2019 at 10:08 PM

    Hi Megan!
    I found this recipe just after I made bone marrow broth! I’ll definitely do this before I make the broth next time. The bones have been simmering for 2 days and the marrow is still inside and a gluggy brown. Is this still nutritious enough to eat/feed baby or has it all gone into the broth and I should discard?
    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      November 28, 2019 at 9:30 AM

      Hey Amy!

      It’s all in the broth xxo!!

      Reply
  14. Sarah van Uden says

    January 29, 2020 at 2:52 AM

    Hi Megan,

    When scooping out the bone marrow I did get a bit of hard red marrow from an end piece (saw your note to avoid this part after I started). I removed it from my bowl however it did go in the bowl with the rest of the marrow. Do you think this will still be safe for baby or should I make a new batch? Or if I cook the bone marrow with puree would that help?

    Thanks,
    Sarah

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      January 29, 2020 at 11:38 AM

      Hey Sarah,

      That’s totally okay as long as no hard pieces got into the marrow, sounds like you pulled it out.

      The reason why I say to avoid the end bones with red marrow is because they don’t yield much (if any!) fatty bone marrow.

      Great Q xxo!!

      Reply
  15. Alice says

    January 30, 2020 at 12:02 PM

    Is a tablespoon a good serving size for a baby just starting solids? I’ll eventually mix it with other foods, but wondering if it can be fed on its own just starting out and if so how much?

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      January 30, 2020 at 2:40 PM

      Hey Alice,

      It can be fed on its own. I would start with a teaspoon-sized amount xxo!!

      Reply
  16. Valerie Warfel says

    April 8, 2020 at 1:03 PM

    Hi! Can’t wait to try this for my baby. If I don’t have a mixer for whisking can I blend it in my vitamix blender ? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      April 13, 2020 at 11:49 AM

      Hey Valerie,

      I would use a whisk and whip it by hand if you have the patience! I’m not sure the Vitamix will give you the air you need. If you end up using a blender, let me know how it goes xxo!!

      Reply
  17. Pavitra says

    June 7, 2020 at 5:06 PM

    Hi. Thanks for this great recipe! Love it 😊Does it have to be beef bone marrow? Can I use lamb or goat bone marrow instead for my 7 month old? Thanks

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      June 10, 2020 at 11:51 AM

      You can! Just be sure to use the midsection of the bone that contains fatty marrow xxo!!

      Reply
  18. Mandi says

    June 10, 2020 at 11:42 AM

    Holy Moly. Think I missed a trick here, whipping this stuff is like whipping gravel. I also had a lot of bone/hard gristle in mine so I had to push it through a potato ricer. Maybe I tried whipping it at the wrong temp? Maybe I didn’t have enough of it for my kitchenAid whisk to really get it. I’ll try again

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      June 10, 2020 at 11:50 AM

      Hey! If it’s too hard and chilled it won’t whip up. And YES! You definitely don’t want bits of bone in there xxo!!

      Reply
  19. Linda says

    July 30, 2020 at 7:08 PM

    Hi! My little one has been refusing solids ever since a severe allergic reaction to egg at 6.5 months. Now at 8 months, found your site and tried bone marrow, the baby ate it!!! I’m so happy! Wondering how much bone marrow and how often can I give a breastfed 8 month old?

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      August 12, 2020 at 5:29 PM

      Hey Linda,

      That’s so great to hear!! Many babies eat bone marrow daily. At 8 months, I would offer about a tablespoon and see how it goes. Ultimately, I like to follow baby’s lead. I typically see a big interest in bone marrow when beginning solids and then into toddlerhood, interest tends to taper off or slow down. So definitely feel it out!

      Reply
  20. Maria says

    November 5, 2020 at 1:33 PM

    Hi Megan! Can I make this in an instant pot? What do you suggest? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      November 5, 2020 at 2:33 PM

      Hey! I haven’t made the bone marrow in a Instant Pot. Since it requires water to build pressure, I’m not sure the results would be the same – we’re basically extracting the fat and whipping it.

      You can definitely pop the marrow bones in the Instant Pot after roasting for an incredible bone broth!!

      Reply
  21. Olivia says

    November 24, 2020 at 10:58 AM

    Hi Megan,
    I got some beef bones yesterday
    After reading through the questions and your replies, I’m not sure if these bones will work (or if they’re ideal)
    Is there an email address I could send you a picture to see what you think?
    Thank you

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      November 24, 2020 at 11:21 AM

      Hi Olivia,

      You can email me hello@megangarcia.com

      Reply
  22. Evelyn says

    December 14, 2020 at 7:30 PM

    How much time after done is good to use it (refrigerated or frozen) ?

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      December 27, 2020 at 2:29 PM

      Hey Evelyn,

      I would store frozen and use within 3 months.

      xxo!!

      Reply
  23. Leigh says

    March 8, 2021 at 11:43 AM

    Hi! Can you make this with the medallion cut sections of the bone? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      March 8, 2021 at 12:30 PM

      YES!!

      xxo

      Reply
  24. Hannah Olowokere says

    April 12, 2021 at 2:38 PM

    Hi Megan!

    Super grateful for all of the info you give! We live your course. Is there anywhere besides online I can get femur bones? My local Whole Foods doesn’t have them and our local butcher shop doesn’t either. Just curious if I’m missing it somewhere. I’m in Dallas, TX.

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      April 14, 2021 at 5:14 PM

      Hey Hannah,

      The other place to check would be your local farmer’s market. Sometimes you can find both seafood and fresh/frozen cuts of meat. If they don’t have bones, it may be because demand is low and you can ask if they’ll bring for you the following week. I’ve done this! Folks are super friendly.

      xxo

      Reply
  25. Lisa says

    February 24, 2022 at 9:34 AM

    Hi Megan!

    Should bones be rinsed before baking? I purchased fresh bones and wasn’t sure. I’m wondering if any impurities will cook off during the baking process? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      November 7, 2022 at 5:17 PM

      Hey Lisa,

      I don’t think there’s any harm in giving them a lil rinse (:

      xxo

      Reply
  26. Jaques Baylac says

    April 23, 2022 at 6:45 PM

    Bone marrow is also high in calcium, another tid-bit of info. Bone marrow is often found on menus in bistos here in France, usually served with a light sprinkling of ‘fleur de sel’ and spread on toast. I’ve tried the whipped version and add it to room temperature eggs before beating it and making an omlette. Delicious!

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      November 7, 2022 at 5:09 PM

      Love this!!

      Reply
  27. Serena Llamas says

    January 21, 2023 at 6:50 AM

    Can I make the whipped bone marrow with chicken bones?

    Reply
    • Megan Garcia says

      January 22, 2023 at 11:15 AM

      Hi Serena,

      Great question! Chicken bone are very narrow and a lot of the marrow is hard, red marrow. Great for bone broth and stock, but difficult to use for whipped marrow.

      We want the fatty, yellow marrow that’s in the central portion of long bones.

      xxo!!

      Reply

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Hey, my name is Megan

I’m a licensed acupuncturist. I focus on baby’s wellbeing during pregnancy and throughout the first few years. I help parents stay in touch with the latest science while sticking to the roots of traditional wellness. Super fun, right!?

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