Eating whole hog. Literally.

You may have seen pork belly on fancy restaurant menus - but how about snout? Or pig's tail? Chefs are beginning to butcher and serve the entire animal. As CBS News Correspondent Dean Reynolds reported on "The Early Show," it may be coming to a table near you.
Reynolds, left, is seen with Chef Stephen Stryjewski, of Cochon Restaurant, in New Orleans. Stryjewski says his restaurant serves up to five full pigs a week. He butchers the pigs on-site.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Chef Stephen Stryjewski, of Cochon Restaurant, in New Orleans, serves up pig's ear, sliced snout, head cheese and fried pig's tail, among other dishes at his establishment.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A pork tongue dish seen at Cochon Restaurant in New Orleans.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Fried pig's tail, Cochon Restaurant's chef, Stephen Stryjewski, advises, is best eaten with your hands, like corn on the cob.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A pork tongue dish seen at Cochon Restaurant in New Orleans.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A pork tongue dish seen at Cochon Restaurant in New Orleans.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A pork tongue dish seen at Cochon Restaurant in New Orleans.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Chef Stephen Stryjewski, of Cochon Restaurant, in New Orleans, cuts a piece of meat.

He says, "It's better to see it as a whole animal and to understand where it comes from than it is to cut open a plastic bag and dump it out on a plate."

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Chef Stephen Stryjewski, of Cochon Restaurant, in New Orleans, cuts apart a pig's trunk.

Very little of the pig will be thrown away. Fergus Henderson, executive chef of St. John Restaurant in London, told CBS News, "Genitalia, I'm not crazy about -- but that's just me."

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A restaurant like Cochon in New Orleans is no place for a vegetarian, CBS News Correspondent Dean Reynolds notes, adding even the most committed carnivores require an open mind when in these establishments.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Pig snout is on the menu at Cochon Restaurant in New Orleans.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Head cheese can be purchased at Cochon in New Orleans.

CBS News Correspondent Dean Reynolds said of the cheese, "It's undoubtedly the best hogs head cheese I've ever eaten."

Chef Stephen Stryjewski, of Cochon Restaurant, in New Orleans, asked, "Is it the only hogs head cheese you've ever eaten?"

Reynolds replied, "Yeah."

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Chef Stephen Stryjewski, of Cochon Restaurant, in New Orleans, slices into a full hog. He says his restaurant uses from three-to-five whole pigs a week.

When asked if people are missing something by only eating traditional parts of a pig, Stryjewski said, "I think you're just limiting yourself. ... All of it is delicious."

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Fergus Henderson, of St. John Restaurant in London, serves the whole hog, too, including the heart, liver and kidneys, seen here.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Pig organs in a pan at St. John Restaurant in London.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Fergus Henderson, of St. John Restaurant in London, published his book, "Nose to Tail Eating," more than a decade ago and has long been a proponent of cooking and serving the animal in its entirety.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Fergus Henderson, of St. John Restaurant in London, says he believes a chef should ensure his animals are raised humanely and that the carcass be treated respectfully and economically.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A kitchen staff member at St. John Restaurant in London holds a pig carcass.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A kitchen staff member at St. John Restaurant in London butchers a pig on-site.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A pig is sliced apart at St. John Restaurant in London.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A staff member at St. John Restaurant in London carries a pig carcass through the kitchen's preparation area.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

Piece of pork in a bowl at in London.

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

On "The Early Show," Michael Anthony, executive chef at New York's Gramercy Tavern, showed a variety of his pork dishes. He says eating the whole hog is about celebrating your food.

He said, "It's about celebrating seasonality. About reconnecting with the food that we eat. And it's not meant to be off-putting. It really is about admiring all the hard work that goes into ingredients that are really traceable and recognizable."

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A braised pork dish by Michael Anthony, executive chef at New York's Gramercy Tavern.

Anthony said on "The Early Show," "This is a way of cooking in an unpretentious way. It's about not being constrained by current trends, but really celebrating craftsmanship in cooking. Again, talking about this connection to regional farms. Gramercy Tavern is a restaurant whose menu was built on connecting with local farms and celebrating American cooking through the specific time and place. Here and now. This season."

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals

A pork dish by Michael Anthony, executive chef at New York's Gramercy Tavern.

Is this for everyone?

Anthony said on "The Early Show" he thinks "You'd be surprised that, when you bite into a ham, that's made by someone who trust, someone you care for, that's done in a distinctive way, all of a sudden, there's something that's fantastic, smart for the environment, and irresistible to eat, food that's both delicious and ultimately nutritious."

Restaurants turn to preparing whole animals