The most famous use case of bone marrow is in soup and stock, though you may have a different favourite. If youāve got some bone marrow spare that youād like to avoid wasting, perhaps you’re asking whether it’s safe to freeze?
Can You Freeze Bone Marrow?
Yes, you can freeze bone marrow for up to 3 months. Store bone marrow in an airtight container, removing as much air as possible before sealing the container and putting it into the freezer. It will store in the freezer for around 3 months before it succumbs to freezer burn.
Do Does Bone Marrow freeze well? Yes
Can you refreeze Bone Marrow? Yes
How to Freeze Bone Marrow
When freezing bone marrow, you ideally want to use bone marrow that has been removed from the bones (the bones will take up a lot of room in the freezer) and that has not been cooked.
- Transfer to Container: Transfer the bone marrow from whatever container it happens to be in into an airtight container. As bone marrow is low in water content, the marrow wonāt expand as it freezes, meaning that you donāt have to worry about allowing for headspace.
- Remove Air and Seal: Therefore, to prevent excess air, you can compress the container that youāre using a little, pressing out any excess air. This will reduce oxidation over time, reducing the risk of the fat going rancid.
- Freeze: When the container is sealed, transfer it to your freezer, where it will store very well for around 3 months.
Although it is possible to freeze cooked bone marrow, freezer burn will likely ruin both the texture and flavour. Where possible, freeze bone marrow raw.
3 Tips for Freezing Bone Marrow
Now you know how to freeze it, we’ve got our 3 top tips which we strongly recommend following when freezing Bone Marrow to have the best results:
Use a Tight-Fitting Lid
Sealing the container that the bone marrow youāre working with is in is vital, as it will allow you to make sure that the smell from the bone marrow itself wonāt spread throughout your freezer, making different ingredients of yours take on different smells. Make sure to seal the container to avoid adding to freezer smells.
Keep the Temperature Consistent
Keeping the temperature consistent with bone marrow is vital – as itās mostly fat, it will tend to turn rancid over time. Repeated thawing and freezing could lead to this taking place, as fat going rancid is more closely related to heat than it is to bacterial growth.
Don’t Be Afraid to Squash It
Pressing the bone marrow down in your container so that itās squashed to fit the space that youāve got available is a great idea: itās thick, typically, but compressible. This means that you can easily make a surprising amount of marrow fit in one container, which is an economical way to use your freezer.
How Long Can You Freeze Bone Marrow?
You can keep bone marrow frozen for around 3 months.
Beyond this point, the ice crystals within the freezer will start to spread throughout and within the marrow, leading to the texture being ruined and the flavour being massively reduced. While still safe to eat, it will be much less enjoyable.
When kept wrapped or in an airtight container, the bone marrow will last for 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
How Do You Defrost Bone Marrow?
The best way to defrost bone marrow, as with most forms of animal product, is to use your fridge. This is because when the product is thawed, it cannot be stored at room temperature for more than a few hours without being unsafe.
Therefore, allowing bone marrow and other animal products to thaw in the fridge and stay at fridge temperature will surely allow for greater food safety.
Can You Refreeze Bone Marrow?
Yes, you can refreeze bone marrow. If youāre using bone marrow that has thawed but is not flavored, then it can be easily and immediately returned to the freezer. Once there, it will freeze again, being stored well immediately.
However, if youāve cooked with the bone marrow, you have to consider if there are any ingredients youāve cooked with that might make the marrow freeze more poorly.
Does Bone Marrow Freeze Well?
Yes, bone marrow does freeze well.
The reason for this is that itās mostly fat and protein, so the use of extreme cold to freeze it doesnāt damage the texture of the marrow all that much.
While youāll likely be able to tell the difference between fresh and frozen, it wonāt be a steep drop-off in quality.
We would suggest always freezing excess bone marrow – it will provide excellent flavor to soups and stocks, which makes it ideal for keeping fresh and ready-to-use.
Related FAQs
If youāve still got questions about freezing bone marrow or bone marrow in general, then these may help:
Yes, you can freeze raw marrow bones, but you will find that the bones take up more room than it’s worth, and the bone marrow texture becomes grainy. Instead, freeze it cooked.
Although marrow bones will take up a lot of room, you can keep them in the freezer for your dog.
