Technique

Probe placement

The number is only as honest as the tip. Bone, fat pockets, and the wrong muscle will lie to you.

When: Any cook you would be sad to overdo. If it costs more than a pizza, probe it.

Steps

1. 1

   Aim for the geometric center of the thickest muscle, avoiding bone by a half inch.

2. 2

   On brisket, probe the flat — it dries first. Check the point separately if you are splitting them.

3. 3

   On a whole bird, breast and thigh are different cooks. Use two probes or check both.

4. 4

   Doneness on BBQ cuts is a feel: the probe should slide in with almost no resistance, like warm butter.

Common mistakes

• Trusting the lid thermometer. It reads air at the lid, not the grate, not the meat.
• Leaving a cheap probe in a 700°F sear zone and melting the cable.

Used on