Sliced pieces of bone marrow garlic bread topped with a green herb and cheese mixture are arranged on a wooden board, with two roasted bone marrow pieces in the background.

When it comes to garlic bread, most people think butter, garlic, and maybe a little cheese. But once you try bone marrow garlic bread, there’s no going back. It’s rich, indulgent, and loaded with flavor in every bite. Whether you cook it in the smoker for that deep wood-fired taste or keep things simple in the oven, this recipe is guaranteed to turn heads.

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Two halves of a plain, sliced sandwich roll placed side by side on a wooden surface, showing the soft, airy interior of the bread.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Bone marrow garlic bread is the ultimate upgrade on a classic. The roasted marrow melts down into this silky, buttery spread that mixes perfectly with roasted garlic and fresh herbs. Add on the fresh parmesan and a crusty loaf of bread, and you’ve got something that’s fancy enough for a steakhouse but easy enough to whip up at home.

A hand uses a toothpick to scoop roasted bone marrow from a cross-sectioned bone sitting on a wire rack over a foil-lined tray. Other pieces of roasted bone are visible in the background.

Another bonus? You can make the bone marrow garlic bread two different ways: in the smoker for a smoky layer of flavor or straight in the oven if you just want it rich and roasted. Both bone marrow garlic bread versions come out amazing.

Frozen marrow bones and two heads of garlic drizzled with oil and seasoning are placed on a rack lined with foil, inside a grill or smoker.

Prepping the Bone Marrow

Before you even fire up the smoker or oven, there’s one optional step that makes a big difference. Soak your cross-cut marrow bones in salt water for 12–24 hours. This pulls out the blood from the marrow, leaving you with a cleaner, more buttery taste. It’s not required, but if you’ve got the time, it’s absolutely worth it.

A clear glass bowl containing a mixture of mashed potatoes, herbs, ground black pepper, chunks of meat, and rich bone marrow sits on a patterned wooden surface.

Choosing the Right Bread

I used a French loaf for this recipe, and it turned out incredible. It crisped up beautifully while still holding the bone marrow garlic bread butter spread. You’re not limited to French bread - Italian bread or even a baguette will do the job. The key is picking something sturdy and crusty that can handle the richness without getting soggy.

Ingredients You’ll Need

6 Cross-Cut Beef Marrow Bones
1 Head Garlic
½ C Unsalted Butter, softened
1 Loaf Crusty Bread (French, Italian, or Baguette), sliced
¼ C Fresh Parsley, chopped
¼ C Parmesan Cheese, grated
Salt and Black Pepper, to taste
Olive Oil, for roasting

A split loaf of white bread on a wooden surface, with four dollops of a creamy spinach and cheese mixture spread evenly along the inside.

How to Make Bone Marrow Garlic Bread

Preheat your smoker to 225°F with oak or pecan wood. If not using the smoker, skip this step.
Prepare the garlic and marrow bones. Slice the top off the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, and place marrow bones cut-side up on a baking sheet. Smoke or roast for 30–35 minutes until the marrow is bubbling and the garlic is soft.
Increase the heat. If you’re smoking, wrap the garlic in foil and bump the temperature to 400°F.
Make the garlic butter spread. Once the marrow and garlic are ready, let them cool for 5–10 minutes. Squeeze the roasted garlic into a bowl, scoop out the marrow, and mash together with softened butter, parsley, parmesan, salt, and pepper. This creates the ultimate bone marrow garlic bread butter.
Build the bread. Slice your loaf and spread the garlic butter mixture generously over each piece. Top with a little extra parmesan for good measure.
Bake or broil. Wrap the bread in foil and bake at 400°F for 10–12 minutes. Then unwrap and broil for 2–3 minutes until golden and toasty. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t burn.
Serve hot. Bone marrow garlic bread is best eaten immediately, while it’s still warm and melty.

A slice of rustic bread topped with a thick layer of herb and garlic butter, placed on a patterned wooden cutting board.

Serving Suggestions

This bone marrow garlic bread is so good it can honestly be the star of the show. Serve it as a side with steak, pasta, or roasted chicken. It also makes a killer appetizer for parties - slice it into smaller pieces and watch how fast it disappears.

Pair it with a bold red wine or a cold beer, and you’ve got a perfect match.

A piece of toasted garlic bread covered with melted herbs and cheese sits on a wooden cutting board.

Recipe Notes and Tips

Soak the bones in salt water overnight if you can - it makes the marrow taste even better.
Bread choice matters. French, Italian, or a baguette all work great. Just pick something with a crust that gets nice and crunchy.
Make it ahead. You can roast the marrow and garlic earlier in the day and assemble the bread just before serving.
Extra spread. If you have leftover marrow butter, use it on steaks, baked potatoes, or spread over roasted veggies.

A sliced loaf of garlic bread topped with herbs and melted cheese is displayed on a wooden cutting board with a patterned surface.

Final Thoughts

Bone marrow garlic bread takes common ingredients that you probably already have (mostly) and turns it into an unforgettable dish. It’s garlicky, cheesy, and perfect as a side or snack any day of the week. It's enough to make any meal feel special. Once you try it this way, regular garlic bread will never be enough.

Sliced pieces of toasted bread topped with a green herb and cheese mixture are arranged on a wooden board, with two roasted bone marrow pieces in the background.

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A close-up of rectangular slices of cheesy garlic bread topped with herbs, set on a wooden surface. Two small, round pieces of bread are blurred in the background.

Bone Marrow Garlic Bread

Print Pin Rate

Prep Time: 15

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 30

Servings:

Calories: 327kcal

Ingredients

6 Cross-Cut Beef Marrow Bones
1 Head Garlic
½ C Unsalted Butter softened
1 Loaf Crusty Bread French or Italian, sliced
¼ C Fresh Parsley chopped
¼ C Parmesan Cheese grated
Salt and Black Pepper to taste
Olive Oil for roasting

Instructions

Preheat smoker or oven to 225°F with oak or pecan wood.
Slice the top off the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil. Place marrow bones cut-side up on a baking sheet. Smoke at the same time for 30-35 minutes.
When the smoke period is done, wrap garlic bulbs tightly in foil and increase the smoker temperature to 400F.
When garlic and bone marrow is ready, remove from smoker or oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes to make them easy to work with. While hot, squeeze roasted garlic cloves into a bowl. Mash with softened butter, salt, pepper and bone marrow to create a garlic butter spread.
Slice bread and spread with garlic butter mixture. Liberally add grated or fresh shredded parmesan cheese. Wrap in foil and place in preheated oven for 10-12 minutes
Open up the foil pouch and place under the broiler for 2–3 minutes until golden and toasty. Remove if starting to burn.
Serve warm and enjoy immediately.

Nutrition

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