Smoked Corned Beef in the Ninja Woodfire

Cooking Methods

Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill and Smoker

Recipe Time :5 20

Difficulty Level :Easy

Recipe Rating

Taking corned beef to new heights with smoke and flavor that will transform your St. Patrick's Day dinner or any special meal throughout the year.

Smoked Corned Beef sliced on cutting board.

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This experiment-turned-favorite combines the traditional texture and flavor of corned beef with the rich flavor of apple wood smoke for an unforgettable dish.

You can even take it a step further and cure your own beef brisket to make home-cured corned beef, which is what I did and I have never had a better tasting corned beef!

Here is the step-by-step guide on curing a brisket to make corned beef: Home Cured Corned Beef Recipe

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Suggested Kitchen Tools for Smoking Corned Beef

Ninja Woodfire outdoor grill or other pellet smoker
Meat thermometer or temperature probe
Aluminum foil (optional, for lining drip pan)
Small bowl for mixing glaze
Silicone brush for applying glaze
Sharp knife for slicing
Cutting board

Ingredients & Substitutions

Corned Beef Brisket

Used in this Recipe: 4-5 pound flat cut corned beef brisket
What it does in this Recipe: The flat cut is perfect for slicing
Substitutions: Point Cut or a combination of the flat and point cuts.

Wood Pellets

Used in this Recipe: Apple wood pellets for smoking
What it does in this Recipe: Provides a subtle smoke flavor that pairs beautifully with the beef and sides
Substitutions: Cherry wood, oak, hickory, maple, pecan, or any food grade wood pellets you love.

Brown Sugar

Used in this Recipe: ¼ cup packed brown sugar for the glaze
What it does in this Recipe: Creates sweet balance to the salty beef and helps form a delicious bark
Substitutions: Honey or maple syrup can work but may change the consistency. You can also use white sugar.

Balsamic Vinegar

Used in this Recipe: ¼ cup for the glaze
What it does in this Recipe: Adds acidity to balance the sweet and salty flavors and it provides a distinct flavor in the glaze.
Substitutions: Apple cider vinegar or white wine vinegar (these will change the flavor quite a bit, I recommend sticking with balsamic vinegar)

Dijon Mustard

Used in this Recipe: 1 tablespoon for the glaze
What it does in this Recipe: Adds tang and helps the glaze adhere to the meat
Substitutions: Stone ground mustard

How to Smoke Corned Beef Brisket

Prepare the Smoker

Add pellets to your smoker (apple wood recommended).
Select the smoker function and set temperature to 225°F.
Set time for about 6 hours and 15 minutes (as a starting point based on a 5 pound brisket).
- The 15 minutes is the burn off time, you will add your corned beef when the display reads 6 hours.
Allow the pellets to ignite and smoke for 15 minutes before adding the meat.

Setting up the Ninja Woodfire to smoke corned beef.

Prepare the Corned Beef

Remove corned beef from packaging and rinse it with cold water and pat dry. You can also soak it for 4-8 hours which will decrease the saltiness in the corned beef.
- When I soak the my home-cured corned beef, I like to place it on a rack over a tray and let it sit in the refrigerator overnight to dry out a little bit.

Trim the fat cap to about ½" if needed. Usually corned beef that you purchase at the grocery stores is already trimmed.
You can season the corned beef with any type of spice blend you like, but I recommend not seasoning it if you plan on glazing it with the glaze in this recipe. Corned Beef is usually salty, so I would stay away from salty rubs.

Trimming the fat cap on the brisket flat.

Place a thermometer into the meat so the tip is in the center if you will be monitoring the internal temp via a probe. It is fine to use an instant read thermometer or go by time and texture if you don't have a thermometer.

inserting the thermometer probe into the corned beef.

Smoking the Corned Beef

Ensure your drip pan is installed and lined with aluminum foil for easy cleanup.
Once the 15 minute burn off period is over, open the lid and let the white smoke out.
Place the beef on a rack (optional) or directly on the grill grates.

Putting the corned beef on the smoker to smoke.

Smoke at 225°F/110℃, refilling pellets as needed throughout the cooking process.
- It is best to refill the pellet hopper when the pellets have burned down 25-50% so the burning pellets will ignite the new pellets and you don't have to press Woodfire Flavor button.

Smoke until the internal temperature reaches 195-205℉/ 90-96℃

Quick Tip:

Keep the Smoke Going: For maximum smoky flavor, maintain smoke throughout the entire cooking process by topping off pellets when they get low (about 25-50% depleted)

Glaze Application

Prepare the glaze by whisking together:
- ¼ cup packed brown sugar
- ¼ cup Balsamic vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

making the glaze for the smoked corned beef.

Begin glazing the corned beef after about 2 hours of smoking.
Continue to glaze every hour until just before you air fry the corned beef to crisp the fat cap.

glazing the corned beef while smoking it.

Finishing Touches

When internal temperature reaches around 195°F/90℃ (about 5 hours for a 5 pound brisket), switch to air fry function at 425°F/220℃ for 10-15 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 205°F/96℃

glazing and then air frying the corned beef after smoking.

If you want to skip the air fry, continue smoking at 225°F/110℃
Cook until the internal temperature reaches approximately 205°F/96℃ and the meat is probe tender. This means that when a probe is inserted, it doesn't meat resistant and moves in and out of the meat easily.
Allow the meat to rest for about 10-15 minutes before slicing.

Enjoy your smoked corned beef!

Storage & Reheating Instructions

Refrigeration: Store leftover smoked corned beef in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Wrap tightly in plastic wrap followed by aluminum foil or place in freezer-safe resealable plastic bags for up to 3 months.
- Make sure the smoked corned beef is completely cool before freezing.
- It is best to freeze larger pieces of corned beef that have not been sliced.
Reheating: For best results, reheat slices gently with a small amount of beef broth in a covered pan over low heat.
- For larger pieces that have not been sliced, wrap in foil and reheat in a low temperature oven or in the smoker (no smoke needed) on a low heat until it is warm throughout.

Quick Tip

Use leftover smoked corned beef to make an amazing corned beef hash for breakfast the next day.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know when the Smoked Corned Beef is done?

The best way to know is by checking both internal temperature and tenderness. Aim for 195-205°F and ensure the meat is probe tender, meaning a thermometer slides in with almost no resistance. This usually takes 4-5 hours at 225°F for a 5 pound corned beef.

You can also slice off a piece and taste it, if it is tender and delicious and you love it, then it is done!

Can I make this recipe with a different type of smoker?

Absolutely! While this recipe uses a Ninja Woodfire outdoor grill, you can adapt it to any pellet smoker, electric smoker, or traditional smoker. Just maintain the same low temperature (225°F) and cooking method, including the glazing process. If your smoker doesn't have an air crisp function, you can finish the corned beef under a broiler for a similar effect.

More Ninja Woodfire Recipes

As a previous owner of a BBQ restaurant, it was very surprising to me how well the Ninja Woodfire works to smoke meat!

I was used to a wood burning large smoker and I am loving the ease of smoking all sorts of things with the Woodfire.

Here are some recipes to try out!

Smoked Corned Beef in the Ninja Woodfire

Recipe By: Louise

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Difficulty Level : Easy

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 5

Total Time 5 20

Course Dinner

Cuisine Irish

Equipment

Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Grill and Smoker