If you haven't before, try TWO temp probes in the meat.

[sky monkey]

A while back I read somewhere that with a chicken, dark meat tastes best at 170°F IT but white meat is best at 165°F IT. I believe it was in an article about spatchcocking. I do nearly all my birds spatchcocked after trying the first one.
It dawned on me about a month after I bought a 2nd thermometer (the first one was on it's last legs) I could actually check both at the same time now. Dark meat vs white meat.

The first thing I learned was that I wasn't always getting the temp probe into the deepest, coldest part of the meat. Seeing large differences in the 2 probes I experimented with placement of them going deeper and angling them different. I realized that I wasn't always cooking up to recommended internal temps at times I used 1 probe and didn't re-position. I went and bought an instant read after that so I can double check.

So if you haven't played around with using two probes in the same piece of meat, try it. It is a learning experience.

I'm sure 2 probes is probably pretty common among the experienced but I only have a few years under my belt, thought I'd mention the lesson.

 

[gmc2003]

Good info, I usually use a single probe and then check other parts of the meat with my instant read. Someday I'll buy a dual probe therm.

Chris

 

[SmokinAl]

I usually just go by the breast & pull the meat out of the smoker at 157, if you take it to 165, the carryover cooking may take it up another 8-10 degrees & you end up with dry breast meat. If you Spatchcock the bird the thighs will be around 170 when the breast is at 157. Comes out perfect every time, but as you said placement of the probe is the key.
Al

 

[tallbm]

A while back I read somewhere that with a chicken, dark meat tastes best at 170°F IT but white meat is best at 165°F IT. I believe it was in an article about spatchcocking. I do nearly all my birds spatchcocked after trying the first one.
It dawned on me about a month after I bought a 2nd thermometer (the first one was on it's last legs) I could actually check both at the same time now. Dark meat vs white meat.

The first thing I learned was that I wasn't always getting the temp probe into the deepest, coldest part of the meat. Seeing large differences in the 2 probes I experimented with placement of them going deeper and angling them different. I realized that I wasn't always cooking up to recommended internal temps at times I used 1 probe and didn't re-position. I went and bought an instant read after that so I can double check.

So if you haven't played around with using two probes in the same piece of meat, try it. It is a learning experience.

I'm sure 2 probes is probably pretty common among the experienced but I only have a few years under my belt, thought I'd mention the lesson.

Yep a lot can be learned from multiple probe.
It takes me 3 in a brisket to get a good reading from one or a combo of them 3. The temp changes and climbs between the 3 is crazy and the one probe that seemed the most off during the beginning or middle of the smoke may turn out to be the most accurate one.
This holds true with a pork butt/shoulder as well but I didn't find it to be as crazy since as long as you don't go way overboard with pulled pork, the IT you pull at can be really forgiving (205F -212F) so it's not so big of a deal where with brisket you have to be way more precise or the Flat will punish you for not doing so :)