Imagine a perfectly cooked medium rare bottom round with a hint of smoke... it's amazingly delicious and will take your roast beef sandwiches to the next level!
All you need is a basic rub, a bottom round roast, and the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker or another type of smoker.
I used the (affiliate link)Ninja Woodfire XL ProConnect for this recipe, but any model of the Ninja Woodfire will work for this recipe.
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You can smoke your bottom round to the internal temperature that you like, for me that is medium rare. I used a meat slicer after chilling the bottom round and was able to get super thin slices.
If you don't have a meat slicer, use a very sharp carving knife for the best results.
I do recommend having a probe thermometer for this recipe because you will want to monitor the internal temperatures to ensure the beef is cooked the way you like it.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Bottom Round Roast
I used a bottom round roast in this recipe because it is an economical cut that works perfectly for cooking to medium rare or medium and thinly slicing for sandwiches.
Because we are smoking it at a low temperature, you do not need to worry about it drying out. As long as you don't overcook it, you will have perfect roast beef.
You can also use a top round, eye of round, top sirloin roast or a bottom sirloin roast and the instructions will be the same, but the timing may vary depending on the size and shape of your beef roast.
I do not recommend using a chuck roast because it has too much marbling, and it just isn't the right cut for roast beef, although it is wonderful for pot roast!
Seasoning Blend
You can use any type of seasoning blend that you like or keep it super simple with basic salt and pepper.
When using a salt and pepper seasoning blend, I recommend using either kosher salt or a sea salt that is just slightly coarser than table salt.
I also like to use a coarser black pepper when using it on beef roasts. You can usually find it labeled as restaurant pepper or coarse black pepper and it is more like freshly ground pepper.
The seasoning blend I used in this recipe is a combination of black pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.
Pellet Flavors
I tried a few different wood pellets when testing this recipe and my favorite was (affiliate link)oak pellets by Kona.
Cherry, apple, or pecan are also good choices for the smoked bottom round.
If you want a more pronounced smoke flavor, you can use mesquite.
You can use whatever brand and flavor of pellets that you like.
I recommend refilling the hopper once during the smoking process so that you have a good 90-120 minutes of smoke being absorbed by the bottom round.
The best way to do this is to top off the hopper while the pellets are between 50-75% gone, but still burning so they ignite the new pellets you add.
How to Smoke a Bottom Round
Mise En Place (Prep for Smoking the Meat)
Setting up the Smoker
When using the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker, start the the ignition process about 15-20 minutes before you want to start smoking your bottom round. This will allow enough time for the pellets to ignite, the smoker to heat to the set temperature, and, most importantly, allow the heavy white smoke to burn off.
The time may vary with other pellet smokers depending on their size.
Steps for Setting up the Woodfire for Smoking Bottom Round
- Make sure the Ninja Woodfire is plugged in and turns on. The grill grate should be inside the Woodfire.
- Make sure the drip pan is inserted in the back of the unit.
- Open the pellet box and make sure the previously burnt pellets are emptied from the pellet box.
- Fill the pellet box with the pellets you are using. Make sure the box is filled to the top, but not overflowing. The pellet box should close completely.
- Select the Smoker mode.
- Set the temperature to 175℉/80℃ and the time for at least 2 hours and 30 minutes. I usually just leave the default setting of 4 hours.
- Press start.
On the smoker setting, the Ninja Woodfire will automatically ignite the pellets. You do not need to hit the Woodfire Flavor button. The ignition process takes several minutes and then you will start to see heavy white smoke coming from the back of the smoker. This is normal and it will dissipate after 10-15 minutes.
The heavy white smoke tends to be bitter/acrid and can affect the flavor of your smoked food, especially delicate and quick-cooking items like fish and small pieces of meat or vegetables. For this reason, I recommend letting the pellets burn for at least 10 minutes before adding your food.
I set up the smoker, and while it is igniting and heating up, I get the meat ready.
Preparing the Meat for Smoking
The first thing to do is prepare the meat for smoking, and this can be done a day or two ahead of time or right before smoking. There are some benefits seasoning the meat with salt the day before you want to cook it. By applying kosher or sea salt to the surface of the meat and letting it sit wrapped or unwrapped in the fridge does help season the meat through osmosis. The salt draws out moisture from the meat which combines with the salt and then is reabsorbed by the meat brining the salt with it. This is a type of dry brining.
I skipped dry brining this time and it worked great, so if you don't have time to do it, no worries.
Remove the bottom round from the packaging and look at the fat cap to determine if you need to trim any off. Ideally you will keep about ¼" of the fat covering the meat.
As you can see in the picture below, my roast is not uniform in shape and has a tapered end with a lot less meat and a thicker fat cap. You can trim the entire roast and square it off, removing that part for a more uniform roast or leave it alone.
I decided to leave it alone and keep the fat thicker in that area, which worked out fine for me.
If you don't have any fat covering one side of your roast, don't worry; it will be fine. Just season the meat all over, and you will still have a beautiful crust.
Seasoning the meat
If you dry brined the meat heavily with salt, you may want to rinse that off before seasoning it with your rub so you don't end up with the outside of the meat being too salty.
The most important step before seasoning with your rub or seasoning blend is to blot the meat dry. This will allow the seasonings to stick to the meat better. I know that sounds counterintuitive, but if the surface of the meat is wet, the seasonings combine with the juices and tend to clump and not cover the meat uniformly.
Some people use a binder, mustard being very popular, and you can certainly do that if desired. I don't usually use binders and have never had any issues forming a nice crust on meat when smoking or roasting.
The amount of seasoning blend/rub you will need will depend on the size of your bottom round, but I like to have ½ cup handy so I know I have enough to cover the entire beef roast.
- Place the bottom round on a cutting board or on a rack that sits on a tray and blot it dry with paper towels.
- Turn the bottom round so the fat cap is facing down, and start liberally applying the rub to the meat.
- Flip the bottom round over so the fat cap is facing up. Season the fat cap and the sides of the roast.
Once the bottom round is seasoned all over, it's time to get the thermometer probes into the meat if you are using them.
Quick Tip
Using a rack to elevate the bottom round slightly above the grill grate allows the smoke to circulate around the entire roast.
Place the thermometer probe into the thickest part of the bottom round as close to the center as possible.
I used two different probes, the built-in one on the Ninja Woodfire Pro Connect and my Thermoworks Bluedot because I am still testing the accuracy of the built in thermometer. It is not necessary to use two probes.
In fact, you don't have to use a probe thermometer if you don't have one. You can use your (affiliate link)instant-read thermometer to measure the internal temperature periodically through the smoking process.
Quick Tip
If you do not have a thermometer to measure the internal temperature, plan on smoking a 4-5 pound bottom round for about 2 hours at 175℉/80℃ and then roasting at 450℉/230℃ for 10-15 minutes for medium rare roast beef.
Smoking the Bottom Round
Once your bottom round is seasoned and ready to go onto the smoker, open the lid and let the heavy white smoke out.
Place the roast directly on the grill grate or use a small rack to slightly elevate if you have one.
Close the lid and let the smoker do its thing. I do not recommend opening the lid for at least 80 minutes.
You can check the pellet box and see how the pellets are burning. If they are at least 25% done, you can top them off.
Usually, I check on the pellets 15 minutes AFTER I put the bottom round on, which is a total time of about 30 minutes from when I hit the start button and refill the pellets at that time.
Quick Tip
Whenever possible, try to top off the pellets when the existing pellets are still burning and the pellet box is about 50% empty. This allows the new pellets to be ignited by the already burning pellets and you don't get that heavy acrid smoke.
Approximate Smoking Time based on the desired doneness for a 4-5 pound bottom round smoked at 175℉/80℃.
- Rare Roast Beef: Smoking Time about 90 minutes or until the internal temperature is 105℉/40℃.
- Medium Rare Roast Beef: Smoking Time about 2 hours or until the internal temperature is 115℉/46℃
- Medium Roast Beef: Smoking Time about 2 hours 30 minutes hours or until the internal temperature is 120℉/49℃
- Well Done Roast Beef (I don't recommend well done for this cut of beef): Smoking Time about 3 hours or until the internal temperature is 135℉/57℃
Roasting the Bottom Round
Once your bottom round has finished smoking to your desired level of doneness based on the chart above, it's time to develop the crust and crisp up the fat by roasting or air frying at a high heat.
If your model of Ninja Woodfire does not have the roasting option, use air crisp or air fry.
When you first open the lid after smoking, the meat won't look like it changed much. This is normal. Smoking it on such a low temperature doesn't render the fat or shrink the meat like with higher cooking temperatures.
Select the Roast function (or air fry) and set the temperature to 425℉/220℃ and set the time for 15 minutes. Press start.
The Woodfire will start the preheat process, and it is IMPORTANT to bypass this by pressing the start/stop button and holding it for a few seconds until you see "add food" on the display. Open and close the lid and it will start the roasting process.
Quick Tip
Place a pan under the smoked bottom round before roasting if you want to use the juices for au jus.
The Roasting Time of about 15 minutes at 425℉/220℃ is about the time it takes to create a nice crust on the bottom round. However, the internal temperature of the meat is the most important thing to consider. Plan for 15-20 degrees of carryover cooking during the 30-minute rest period measured in Fahrenheit and 7-10 degrees of carryover cooking measured in Celsius.
- For rare to medium-rare roast beef, remove the bottom round when it is 15℉/7℃ below your desired doneness because it will raise in temperature about 15℉/7℃ during the rest period.
- For Medium to Well Done roast beef, remove the bottom round when it is about 15-20℉/7-10℃ below your desired doneness.
The higher the internal temperature when removed from the heat source, the higher the internal temperature will get during the resting period.
Resting & Serving Smoked Bottom Round
Remove the roast from the Woodfire and set it on a cutting board or cooling rack (if it is on a tray) to rest for at least 30 minutes at room temperature.
Once it has rested for at least 30 minutes, remove the probes if you had them insterted. Removing the probes prior to the meat resting can cause the juices to flow out of the meat from the holes the probe made.
If you want to serve the bottom round warm, slice thin slices against the grain and serve.
It is easier to slice thinly when cold, so if you aren't serving it right away, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight, and then slice it thinly against the grain of the meat.
For super thin slices, I recommend using a meat slicer and slicing the beef when it is cold.
Serve & Enjoy!
Storage & Reheating Instructions
How to Store Leftover Bottom Round
Refrigeration
- Sliced: Store sliced bottom round in an airtight container and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Unsliced: Wrap the roast in plastic wrap and store in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Freezer
Make sure the bottom round (sliced or unsliced) has chilled completely before freezing. I recommend refrigerating overnight and then freezing.
It is best to freeze the bottom round before slicing when possible. The less surface area exposed the better the quality of the meat when thawing.
- Sliced: Place the cold slices of smoked beef into sealable bags (vacuum sealed are preferred) and make sure as much of the air is out as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months for the best quality.
- Unsliced: Wrap the cold beef roast in plastic wrap and then in aluminum foil. Place the roast into a sealable bag and freeze for up to 6 months.
How to Reheat Bottom Round
Sliced
The best way to reheat sliced bottom round is in a frying pan with a bit of beef broth. Heat the broth first, and when it is simmering, add the sliced beef and toss it around for just a few minutes to warm it through.
Unsliced
If the bottom round is unsliced and you want to heat the entire roast I would either reheat it in the Woodfire smoker or in the oven.
Wrap the roast in aluminum foil and reheat it on a low temperature of no more than 300℉/150℃ until it is warmed through. The time this takes will depend on the size of the roast.
You can also slice and warm the roast beef in a pan with broth.
More Ninja Woodfire Recipes
Smoked Bottom Round Recipe
Equipment
- Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill and Smoker
Ingredients
- 4-5 pound Beef Bottom Round Roast
- oak pellets or your pellets of choice (you will use a total of about ½-¾ cup of pellets)
Seasoning Blend
- 4 Tablespoons garlic powder or granulated garlic
- 2 Tablespoons Coarse Black Pepper or 1 Tablespoon of ground black pepper
- 2 Tablespoons onion powder or granulated onion
- 4 teaspoons paprika
- 2 teaspoons kosher or fine grind sea salt
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Instructions
Set up the Woodfire Smoker
- Place ¼ cup of pellets into the pellet (hopper) box. Turn the Woodfire on and select the "Smoker" function. Set the temperature to 175℉/80℃ and set the time to 3 hours or leave the default time of 4 hours, either is fine. Press Start. The ignition process takes a few minutes, and then you want to allow the pellets to burn for 10-15 minutes before adding the meat to burn off the acrid (bitter) heavy white smoke.oak pellets
Prepare the Bottom Round
- Trim any excess fat from the roast, leaving about ¼" of a fat cap when possible. You can also trim off any thin ends of the roast where it tapers and use that for something else, but I usually just leave it.4-5 pound Beef Bottom Round Roast
- Blot the surface of the roast with a paper towel to remove any surface moisture. This allows the seasoning blend/rub to adhere to the meat. Mix up the seasoning blend and apply it liberally all over the bottom round.4 Tablespoons garlic powder or granulated garlic, 2 Tablespoons Coarse Black Pepper, 2 Tablespoons onion powder or granulated onion, 4 teaspoons paprika, 2 teaspoons kosher or fine grind sea salt
- Place the bottom round, fat side up on a wire rack if you have one. This elevates the roast above the grill grate and allows for better smoke circulation, but if you do not have a rack, place the meat directly on the grill grate. Insert a meat thermometer probe into the thickest part of the roast if you are using a probe thermometer.
Smoking the Bottom Round
- After the pellets have been burning for 10-15 minutes, open the lid on the Woodfire and let out the heavy white smoke. Place the bottom round fat side up on the grill grate (with or without a rack) and close the lid.
- Check the pellet box about 15 minutes after you put the beef on the smoker. The pellets should be about 50% gone. Top them off with new pellets. The existing burning pellets should ignite the new pellets, so you do not need to hit the Woodfire Flavor button. *See recipe notes for troubleshooting tipsResist the temptation to open the lid. The more you open the lid during the smoking process, the less smoke absorbs into the meat.oak pellets
- Smoke your bottom round based on the chart in the notes section below to achieve your desired doneness. If you are monitoring your internal temperature with an instant-read, wait until about 80 minutes of smoking time to open the lid and check the temperature. Also check the pellet box and refill the pellets again when they are 50% empty.oak pellets
Roasting the Bottom Round
- Once the smoking process is complete, it is time to switch to a high-heat roast to develop the crust and crisp the fat. You do not need to remove the bottom round from the smoker, but you can place it on a tray if you want to catch the drippings for au jus. Select the Roasting Function on the Woodfire. If you do not have the Roasting Function, use the air crisp/air fry function instead. Set the temperature to 425℉/220℃ and the time for 15 minutes. Press start and it will go to the preheat mode. Bypass that by pressing and holding the start/stop button for a few seconds and it will prompt you to add food. Open and close the lid and the roasting or air frying function will start the cooking process. If you are not using a probe and using an instant-read thermometer, begin checking the internal temperature after 10 minutes of roasting time.
Resting the Bottom Round
- It is very important to let the bottom rest for at least 30 minutes after removing it from the Woodfire grill. The resting time allows for carryover over cooking, bringing your roast to the desired serving temperature and allowing enough time for the meat fibers to relax and absorb the juices. I do not wrap the bottom during the resting time and if you do wrap it, expect the carryover cooking to increase and raise your internal temperature a little more.
Serving the Bottom Round
- After 30 minutes of resting time, place the roast on a cutting board and slice thinly against the grain of the meat if you want to serve it warm. I recommend only slicing what you plan on eating and leaving the rest whole for reheating or slicing when cold. It is much easier to slice thinly when cold, so I usually wrap it in plastic wrap after the 30 minute rest period and let it chill overnight before slicing for sandwiches.
Notes
- Rare Roast Beef: Smoking Time about 90 minutes or until the internal temperature is 105℉/40℃.
- Medium Rare Roast Beef: Smoking Time about 2 hours or until the internal temperature is 115℉/46℃
- Medium Roast Beef: Smoking Time about 2 hours 30 minutes hours or until the internal temperature is 120℉/49℃
- Well Done Roast Beef (I don't recommend well done for this cut of beef): Smoking Time about 3 hours or until the internal temperature is 135℉/57℃
Nutrition
About the Recipe Author, Louise Long
Louise is a full-time recipe creator and food blogger @ The Salted Pepper. She has over 30 years of experience with cooking and recipe development. She owned a restaurant for several years and was a full-time RN until retiring to blog full-time.
She published her first cookbook in the Fall of 2018 and is very interested in writing several more.
Louise is also the creator of an online Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooking Course with over 100 instructional step-by-step videos. People absolutely rave about the course and all the value they have received from it.
Louise has several very active Facebook groups that help people with the basics of cooking and learning more about the appliances they love.
Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker & Air Crisper 101
Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill & Smoker
Louise is also a YouTube creator and you can find most of her recipes in video format on The Salted Pepper YouTube channel.
She is very responsive to messages and eager to help in any way she can. Get more Information about Louise & contact information
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Bill Mitchell
Great for sandwiches. Please more Woodfire recipes.