A few eyebrows were raised when McInnes dropped three of his most in-form players to the bench.
However, despite a sticky start, the subsequent victory – which means Hearts remain the only unbeaten team left in Premiership and unbeaten in 15 going back to last season – was further evidence of their strength in depth.
Interviewed before kick-off by BBC 5 Live, chief executive Andrew McKinlay said: “We will win the league, but whether it’s this season or not, I don’t know.”
There were a few question marks after Hearts were fortunate to escape with a draw at St Mirren on Wednesday, but there will be growing belief that it could be this season given they won this at a canter.
That was despite resting emerging folk hero Braga and two other key players carrying knocks.
Landry Kabore, who arrived from Estonian club Narva Trans, proved an able deputy as the striker built on last month’s hat-trick for Burkina Faso as McInnes achieved his target of remaining top of the table at the end of the first quarter.
Meanwhile, Shankland has firmly re-established himself as a force up front, his 10th goal in all competitions already surpassing last season’s disappointing total.
Dundee were the last team to win at Tynecastle 10 games ago, but they never looked like repeating April’s 1-0 victory that would have taken them up to eighth.
With Livingston’s late goal earning a draw with Hibernian, Pressley’s side are instead left looking nervously behind them.