I’m a huge fan of compound butters, especially when they feature garlic in any form. This bone marrow and roasted garlic butter is sensational with beef, as you might expect, and gives extra oomph to an already well-flavoured sirloin steak.
It’s the latest in my series of recipes for Nicola Chapman of Carr Farm, whose Belted Galloway cattle live on the lush grasses of the Waveney Valley on the Norfolk-Suffolk border. I used ‘old’, ie retired cow, one which had clearly had a good life, judging by the marbling of fat running through the meat.
A steak of this sort is best cooked medium-rare and with a bit of love. If you like your steaks rare or (may you be forgiven) well done, please use a regular sirloin or different cut, and adjust the timings accordingly.
Marrowbones can be eaten as a standalone course, in which case roast them as explained below (minus the garlic) and serve with crusty bread and a sharp salsa verde. Alternatively, make the marrow into this luscious butter and let it melt over your steak after cooking. You’ll have more than you need for this recipe but it will freeze, well wrapped, for a month or two.
Steak with Bone Marrow & Garlic Butter
Ingredients:
4 x 5cm beef marrowbones
1 whole head of garlic
50g butter
2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
Salt and pepper, to taste
Oil
2 ‘old cow’ sirloin steaks, about 500g total
Method:
Heat the oven to 180C/160 fan/350F/Gas Mark 4. Slice the top off the garlic bulb so the cloves are exposed, rub it with a teaspoon of oil, and wrap it in foil.
Line a roasting tin with more foil, place the garlic in it and cook for 10 minutes. Now add the marrowbones, standing on their ends, and roast for a further 20 minutes.
Remove from the oven, and once they’re cool enough to handle, scoop out the marrow into a bowl and squeeze in the garlic from the cloves. Add the butter, chopped parsley and season to taste with salt and a good grind of black pepper.
Beat with an electric whisk until the mixture is light in colour and texture. Scrape onto a sheet of cling film, roll into a log and chill until set.
To cook the steak, heat the oven to 170C/150 fan/ 325F/Gas Mark 3. Pat the steaks dry on kitchen paper, season well with salt and pepper and rub with oil. Set a heavy, oven-proof frying pan on the hob and heat until smoking.
Start by crisping and rendering the fat. Stand the steaks on their sides, either propped up or holding them with kitchen tongs, until golden. Now, with the pan still on a high heat, give them an intense sear for about a minute a side.
Place the pan in the oven and cook for a further five minutes, then remove the steaks to a warmed plate and allow to rest for at least 15 minutes. Serve with a pat of the marrowbone and roasted garlic butter on top.
My mom had a little cow creamer when we were growing up! It was a Holstein.
Cute, aren’t they? I have a small herd! 😀
Oh my goodness. I could easily drool looking at these photos and thinking about how delicious it would all taste. A fabulous idea.
Thanks so much, Mimi, you are kind. xxx