How to Smoke Brisket on the Ninja Woodfire Grill

There’s nothing like slicing into a juicy, smoky brisket! And yes, you can get pitmaster-worthy results on the Ninja Woodfire Grill.

As a championship pitmaster who’s cooked brisket on every type of smoker out there, I’ve put this grill through the fire. And the verdict? It absolutely delivers, as long as you follow a few key steps.

With the Ninja Woodfire Grill, it’s literally as easy as seasoning the meat and pushing a button.

Let’s break it down.

What is brisket

Brisket is a cut of beef made up of two muscles (the point and the flat) that comes from the chest of a cow. It’s a rather tough piece of meat, because the cow uses these muscle frequently.

Smoking brisket for several hours helps break down the tough muscle fibers, which turns this beef cut into one of the most desirable on the cow.

The flat meat is more lean; whereas the point meat is much more fatty and tender. It’s more common to find brisket flats than brisket points, but if you can find a point, give it a try, you’ll love the results.

I have been smoking brisket for years and have a comprehensive article on the no-fail way to smoke brisket on a pellet or charcoal grill. It breaks down everything from picking out a brisket to trimming it to the importance of the rest stage.

What You’ll Need

• Brisket: The Woodfire Grill Grate is about 15 inches long, so be sure that you choose a brisket that will fit. Usually, one that is under 10 pounds will work. You can buy the flat, point or a combination of both.
• Girls Can Grill Brisket Rub: I use this rub on the competition circuit, and my brisket cooked with it took 5th place in the world.
• Apple Cider Vinegar: For added moisture, spritz the brisket every 1-2 hours with this flavor enhancer.
• Ninja Woodfire Grill – any model
• Wood Pellets: Oak, hickory or cherry are my faves for brisket.
• Plastic Wrap, Foil or Butcher Paper for the rest

Substitutions: You can also season your brisket with a combination of salt, pepper and granulated garlic or any other barbecue seasoning that you love. 

How to make smoked brisket on the Ninja Woodfire Grill

Step 1: Trim the brisket

Start by trimming down the thick layer of fat on the bottom or sides. I recommend trimming them until they are about 1/4-inch thick.

Need a guide? Read my full brisket trimming tutorial for details.

Step 2: Season like a champ

Season generously with Girls Can Grill Brisket Rub. This blend is designed for long cooks, bold bark and deep smoke flavor. Let it sit at room temp while the grill preheats.

Step 3: Set up the Ninja Woodfire Grill

• Insert the smoke box and fill with your favorite wood pellets.
• Select Smoker mode. Set the temp to 225F and the time to 8 hours.
• Let it preheat for 15 minutes.

The pellets will ignite as the grill heats. The Ninja’s convection design circulates heat and smoke evenly, making it ideal for brisket, even without a traditional firebox.

Step 4: Smoke Low and Slow

Place the brisket directly on the center of the grill. If you have one, insert a leave-in meat thermometer to monitor the internal temp. If you have the Ninja Woodfire Pro Outdoor Grill, you can use the built-in thermometer to monitor the cook temp for you.

Depending on how much smoke flavor you prefer, you can add more pellets to the smoke box once you see the smoke start fade. As the brisket smokes, a flavorful bark will begin to form.

While the convection fan in the Ninja Woodfire Grill helps keep the brisket moist, you can also spritz it with a little water or apple cider vinegar every 1-2 hours for an added boost of moisture and flavor.

NINJA PRO TIP: When smoking brisket on the Ninja Woodfire Grill, there is no need to wrap it in foil or butcher paper. In fact, doing so can effect the way the grill works. Instead, just allow the grill's convection system to do its magic. 

Step 5: How to know when the brisket is done

Cook the brisket until it is probe tender, usually this will be at an internal temperature from 200-210F degrees.

When barbecuing at different altitudes, the final temp will vary.

👉 Want to plan precisely? Use my Brisket Temp Calculator to estimate total cook time based on your elevation.

Step 6: Resting brisket is important

Once the brisket is done smoking, wrap it in plastic wrap, foil or butcher paper and allow it to rest in a cooler without ice for at least an hour. This will allow the juices to settle and redistribute back into the meat.

How to serve smoked Ninja Woodfire brisket

After you’ve allowed the beef brisket to rest, you can slice it and serve it on a platter with smoked mac and cheese and some pickles. Or pile it on white bread or buns to make brisket sandwiches.

NINJA PRO TIP: It's important to slice the meat against the grain. The grain refers to the direction in which the fibers are running. If you run the knife in the same direction as the grain, the bite will be chewy. If you slice against the grain, so that you can see all the lines (pictured below), the bite will be more tender.

The outer crust of a brisket that looks blackened is called the bark. This is perfectly normal and very flavorful. It’s the candied combination of seasoning and smoke that adds that special touch to smoked brisket.

📙 Check out my BBQ glossary to learn more BBQ-related lingo

Storage

If you end up with leftover brisket, you can store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for 3-5 days. Or you can store it in the freezer for up to six months.

You can reheat slices in the microwave on a reduced-heat setting.

Or, you can warm the slices on the Ninja Griddle Plate. It’s also fantastic on loaded baked potatoes or in savory hand pies.