Baby’s First Superfood: Bone Marrow
Bone marrow is another traditional food our ancestors have been feeding babies for some time now. It’s another nutrient-dense favorite, including good fats and heme-iron (the most absorbable type). Lipase helps break down those fats for digestion and absorption, so nursing before or after a meal of marrow can assist to stimulate lipase production in their body. Here we have a basic roasted marrow recipe, and then a fun whipped version that makes marrow butter. Last we have a banana marrow fritter and TRUST me sister, you’ll be surprised at how tasty your baby will find it! Here’s one of favorite ways to incorporate bone marrow for my two littles:
Roasted Bone Marrow Puree + Whipped Butter
Makes 4-6 ounces of marrow
Ingredients
1 lb beef marrow bones (1-2” thick), frozen
2-3 tbsp bone broth
Ice cube trays
Special Equipment: Hand mixer (optional)
Preparation
Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
Place all bones marrow side up, flat on a baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes.
The marrow should be moist and slightly pulling away from the bones.
Once the bones are cool enough to touch, poke and scoop the marrow out of the bones into a bowl. The marrow should be soft and easy to mash.
If you are wanting to make whipped marrow butter, skip step 4 and continue below with “Variation, whipped marrow butter.”
Mash with a fork or spoon, adding the broth.
Variation: Whipped Marrow Butter
A fun and easy way to serve marrow, is to whip (yep, like butter!) with a hand mixer. Do this by following the above roasted marrow recipe, omitting broth, hand mixing until it is white and fluffy. This makes a silky smooth texture and babies love it! If your baby has tolerated butter, go ahead and mix half marrow and half grass-fed butter and whip! Luka McCabe has an amazing tutorial on this here.
Serving
Offer your baby a pre-loaded spoon of marrow, allowing them to self-feed or by gently guiding them. You can then add it to soft cooked veggies you’ve introduced, in place of butter, or in a puree to give it an iron boosting, creamy consistency.
Storage
Divide in ice cube trays to freeze. Lasts about a week in the fridge, or 6 months in the freezer.
Notes
Save the bones and make bone broth with them! They make a great broth.
Sources:
https://www.westonaprice.org/health-topics/childrens-health/nourishing-a-growing-baby/#gsc.tab=0
Super Nutrition for Babies by Katherine Erlich