Appreciation post for the temp probe trick I saw at a competition in Kansas City

I was at the American Royal last fall watching this pitmaster from Texas named Carl check his brisket without pulling the probe out. He just left it in the whole cook and watched the temp climb slowly. Tried it myself last weekend on a 14-pound packer and my stall was way easier to predict. Has anyone else stopped taking the probe in and out?

2 comments

2 Comments

beth_green1mo ago

Carl's method is genius and it totally changed how I handle my briskets too. The first time I tried it, I was nervous I was going to mess something up, but just watching that temp creep up through the stall was so much less stressful. Pulling the probe in and out always seemed to let the heat out and mess with my readings anyway. Now I just leave one in and I can finally relax during the long cooks instead of panicking. Definitely a game changer for keeping things simple.

beth_butler751mo ago

Oh man, I felt that panic too until I learned to just trust the probe and leave it be. Have you found it messes with your bark formation at all when you keep the probe in the whole time?