Be still my heart!OK, here's the simple way to do it.
Make sure your probe is nice and clean, and before you insert it give it a good sterilizing wipe. To be safe, you can wipe the meat with some alcohol where the probe goes in. Insert the probe just under the surface to no more than 1/2". Now, put the meat on the smoker/cooker/oven whatever, and make sure it hits 140 within 4 hrs.
AK1----I like that much better than my idea above. I have a Thermopen, I have alcohol wipes. I will be doing that, taking more readings after that happens, saving those readings, and I'll eventually be prepared to use that to explain to anyone.
Whew---That was hard to get. I used to beat things out of guys in bars with a lot less trouble than that!
Don't think I was picking on you----Those questions were open to anyone. You just came up with the best answer I heard yet------THANKS!
Bear