Ranger, small portions, yielding dry meat

[PeterPoggi]

I'm really new to BBQ & smoking, so I'm sure this is mostly user error. My goal is to master smoking small portions. For example 1/3 rack of ribs, 4-5 lb section of brisket. I've followed several YouTube channels. The flavor is great. Fish is coming out terrific, but my meat is coming out dry. Are there any tricks or techniques for smoking small portions on such a small grill?

 

[traeger860]

I've never used a Ranger so not sure how good they are at holding temp. Do you have a 3rd party probe that you can use to confirm the internal temp of the Ranger? How are you prepping the ribs/brisket and are you wrapping them after a certain point?

 

[PeterPoggi]

Yes, wrapped in both foil and paper, same result. Others are telling me to lower temp by ~10F. I do have 3rd party probes - good idea, thanks.

 

[traeger860]

If it has a "smoke" temperature setting, give that a try if it's low and consistent. Meats typically dry out when they are cooked at a temp that is too high, or if they are cooked for too long.

You can try using a binder to hold the rub on and then spritzing every so often to try to keep them wet. A small bowl of water in the smoker could help too if you have room for one.