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Ninja Woodfire Brisket Recipe
Donny Enriquez

Ninja Woodfire Smoked Brisket

A beginner-friendly brisket for the Ninja Woodfire Grill and Smoker, smoked low to build a dark bark, then wrapped and finished to probe-tender. Doneness is judged by temperature and feel rather than a fixed time, so it works on a lean flat or a whole packer alike.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 8 hours
Overnight Seasoning an Resting 2 hours
Servings: 12
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Calories: 280

Ingredients
  

  • 1 whole packer brisket about 9 to 12 lbs, trimmed to fit your unit
  • 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
  • 1/4 cup coarse kosher salt
  • 1/4 cup coarse-ground black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder optional
  • 1 tablespoon smoked paprika optional
  • 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar plus 1/2 cup water for spritzing
  • 1/2 cup beef tallow or 1/4 cup beef broth for wrapping

Equipment

  • Ninja Woodfire Grill or Pro / Pro XL / Pro Connect XL
  • Food-grade smoking pellets
  • Instant-read or leave-in probe thermometer
  • Butcher paper or heavy-duty foil
  • Sharp trimming/slicing knife
  • Cooler or towels for resting

Method
 

  1. Trim the fat cap to a quarter inch and remove hard fat and silverskin. Pat dry, coat thinly with mustard, and season heavily on all sides with salt, pepper, and the optional garlic powder and paprika. Refrigerate uncovered overnight, or rest at room temperature 1 hour.
  2. Fill the smoke box with a scoop of pellets and press the Woodfire Flavor button. Set the grill to Smoker mode at 225°F, and insert a probe into the thickest part of the flat if available.
  3. Place the brisket fat-side up in the center and close the lid. Smoke at 225°F without opening for the first 2 hours, then check every 45 minutes, spritzing dry spots. Continue until the internal temperature reaches about 165°F and the bark is firm and dark, roughly 3 to 4 hours.
  4. Brush with tallow or broth and wrap tightly in butcher paper or foil. Return to the grill, raise the heat to 250°F, and cook another 2 to 4 hours.
  5. From 200°F internal, probe through the wrap in several spots; it's done when the probe meets almost no resistance, which may take until just past 205°F.
  6. Rest wrapped in a cooler or towels at least 1 hour. Unwrap, separate the point and flat if desired, and slice each against its own grain.

Video

Notes

If a whole packer won't fit, ask your butcher to trim it to size, or separate the point and flat and cook them side by side.
Leftovers keep 3 to 4 days refrigerated or a couple of months frozen. Reheat gently in a low oven with a little broth; skip the microwave.
Cooking a lean flat: keep the full fat cap, be generous with tallow at the wrap, and pull the moment it probes tender.
For model differences and doneness troubleshooting, see the sections above.
Calories: Approximately 280 kcal per 6-ounce serving of trimmed brisket (rough estimate only; varies with the fat content of your cut).