Russet's Andrew Wood Instagrammed Slaughtering And Serving A Pig

Yesterday, farm-to-table mastermind Chef Andrew Wood of Rittenhouse's Russet posted pictures of his participation in la tuade, a traditional cold season pig slaughter practiced in the Ardeche region of France.

"The point of this day is have an even deeper understanding of what's involved with eating meat and to fully appreciate the sacrifice involved," he said. That's exactly what his series of seven pictures show, which— fair warning— aren't for the faint of heart.

The occasionally graphic posts of a slaughtered pig and the food created from the carcass received mixed reactions. One commentator praised the transparency of the photos saying, "Props for posting [a] foodie reality check on Instagram." Another commentator recoiled, saying, "That's terrible."

Yes, the first two pictures in the series are gory, but by scrolling through the handful of images, you get a taste for the reverence towards the animal and that respect is echoed in the dishes served. Chicarrons, pate, and gaufrettes started the meal. Heart and lung dumplings followed, along with boudin noir tarts, and a pig leg roasted over applewood.

This was Russet's third la tuade with Honey Brook, PA's Wyebrook Farms.

Boudin noir tarts ready for the oven. We served them with caramelized onions and heirloom apples.

A photo posted by Chefs Andrew and Kristin Wood (@russetphilly) on Nov 22, 2015 at 6:54pm PST