Beef Marrow Bone Stock

Marrow bones are just not something most of us have encountered before.  The first time I went shopping for them, I didn't even know what to look for.  When I check out with them at Whole Foods, the checker always asks "are these for your dog?".  I say "no, we make stock out of them," and they get all excited because I am the first person they have talked to that actually makes stock out of them!  Its pretty humorous.

You can find marrow bones at Whole Foods (WF) for 1.99 a lb.  They are in a plastic bag in the freezer section on the back wall.  I have also found them a few times at HEB, but it is erratic.  

Marrow bones make a very, very rich stock.  It took a  little getting used to for our family.  The following recipe is what we did a lot in the beginning of the GAPS intro and even now its what we generally do.

Ingredients:

2 bags of marrow bones
1  4 lb chuck roast
1 Tbl of apple cider vinegar (draws minerals from the bones)
water to cover

Place the bones in the stockpot
Rinse your meat and add it
Cover with water and add the vinegar
Bring to a boil and skim off the scum that forms on top
Turn down to a simmer and cover
Cook for at least 6 hours and it is better to go overnight

In the morning I pull out the roast onto a platter and pull the marrow bones out into a bowl to cool.  At this point you can do a couple of things.

1. You can strain the broth and just keep it to drink or cook with
2. You can allow the bones to cool and dump the marrow, which is the fatty center of the bone, back into the stock and use a stick or immersion blender into the stock and blend it all together until it is smooth.  It will just make your stock a bit creamy and rich.  We love it this way.  It is the basis for beef soup of many kinds.  
3. You can dump the marrow into a blender and make Paté

These are just some of the things you can do with beef marrow and one way to make stock.

Meatballs In Tomato Sauce

Lets do it Tuesday. What time do you pick kids up? I would need a couple of hours first thing in the morning to do history and such. Is it better for the little boys and I to come there? I was thinking about right after lunch. You could even go get your kids and we could work some more if we want to. Do we want to make meatballs in tomato sauce and sauted carrots and salad? I have the tomato sauce. The kids can even make the meatballs. If that sounds good, we need

ground beef 5lbs
1 bunch of celery
couple onions
oregano
frozen fajita mix (4 bags if you like bell peppers and onions, 2 if not)
4 lbs of baby carrots
romaine lettuce.

I will bring the tomato sauce and some stuff for the salad. We will need olive oil and apple cider vinager and some chicken broth. Do you have any frozen broth? I usually have a ton, but not sure I will have any by Tuesday.