Brisket "probe tender" question?

[MarkinJHawkland]

Hi all,

I have a question about using a probe for checking brisket tenderness. Do you insert from the top, from the long side, or from the short side, or all possible angles?

Seems to me that the probe would experience the most resistance when probing sideways into the short side and that would be the best angle to test. But it would also leave a hole in the slices. (No big deal to me)

But I don't have many brisket cooks under my belt so I thought I'd ask. I suspect with pork shoulder there are so may different muscles at so many angles that multiple checks are in order?

With my previous cooks of brisket or shoulder I always cooked to temperature which I now realize is not the way to go. I will be adding the probe test to my arsenal of tools thanks to this site and others.

Any thoughts appreciated,
Mark

[ecowper]

I've always probed from the top Mark

[MarkinJHawkland]

Thanks. That makes sense. I guess I just I'm just looking to poke from multiple angles LOL!

Mark

[jharner]

I probe from the top. Just be careful if you have it wrapped in foil and don't go to far. I hat it when I hear that sizzling sound of all my au jus leaking out of the bottom.