Ninja Woodfire outdoor grill review

Stuart Forster steps inside after a midweek barbecue that involved smoking brisket and burgers to write a Ninja Woodfire outdoor grill review.

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I love my Ninja Woodfire outdoor grill. It’s a thoughtfully designed and easy-to-use piece of cooking equipment.

Powered by electricity, the grill is designed for outdoor use. I tend to use it in the back garden but I’ve also taken it on a glamping trip and used it to cook an English breakfast and then smoke salmon and air fry thick-cut chips for dinner. It’s a truly versatile piece of kit that can be used to smoke, grill, air fry, roast, bake, dehydrate or reheat food.

Known officially as the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker, it makes midweek barbecues a viable, no-fuss option. With a traditional charcoal barbecue or kamado-style grill can take 30 minutes, sometimes even longer, for the fuel to start glowing and to reach optimal cooking temperature.

By contrast, the Ninja Woodfire outdoor grill heats up and is ready for cooking food in approximately 10 minutes. That makes a spontaneous barbie an easy and realistic post-work option, even in the middle of the week.

Ninja outdoor smoker

Adding wood smoke, to provide flavour and the traditional aromatic character of barbecued cuisine, is straightforward when using the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker.

There’s a compact smoke box on the right-hand side of the Ninja Woodfire. One scoop of wood pellets is sufficient to add flavour. Pressing the display screen’s ‘Woodfire Flavour Technology’ button, which features a flame icon, enables smoke to be added to the flavour of food in all of the cooking settings apart from reheat.

And the smoker functionality facilitates the cooking of ingredients at a variety of temperatures. That means it’s possible to cook meat slowly, for a smokehouse-style finish, and to smoke fish to be eaten cold. I’ve cooked a beautiful, flavour-packed brisket and also grilled burgers with a burst of smoke.

Ninja Woodfire grill

When smoking ingredients on the Ninja Woodfire Grill, using oil or non-stick sprays should be avoided.

The Ninja Woodfire Pellets designed for use with the outdoor grill are by Bear Mountain. Sample bags of the All-Purpose Blend and Robust Blend, each with sufficient pellets for three smoke sessions, are supplied in the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker box.

The removable smoke box stays hot long after the grill plate and the rest of the Ninja Woodfire has cooled. It’s worth bearing that in mind before putting the kit away after cooking.

Cleaning the Ninja Woodfire

Not only is the preparation time quicker than cooking with a charcoal grill, but the post-barbecue clean-up with a Ninja Woodfire is far easier too. Once it’s cool, the ridged grill plate can be lifted off and hand-washed in soapy water along with the chopping board, cooking utensils and other items used to prepare food.

A removable metal grease tray slots into the back of the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker. It catches liquids and fats that run off during cooking. Emptying and cleaning it is also straightforward.

Tapping out ash, once the smoke box has cooled, is another easy task before covering or putting the Ninja Woodfire outdoor grill away securely.

Overall, the Ninja Woodfire outdoor grill is a lovely piece of kit to use. I enjoy cooking with it and recommend it if you are looking for a versatile alternative to a barbecue.

Ninja Woodfire accessories

A range of Ninja Woodfire accessories are available. They include a waterproof cover and folding grill stand:

Travel carry covers are also available:

 

I have found it useful to make use of an extension cable, so that I could cook a safe distance away from buildings:

Books about cooking with the Ninja Woodfire

Keen to know more about how to use a Ninja Woodfire electric barbecue grill and smoker? Find further information in the following books, which you can buy from Amazon by clicking on the links or cover photos:

Ninja Woodfire Grill & Smoker for Beginners by Nona M. Dixon:

Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker Cookbook for Beginners by Demi Miah:

The Art of Woodfire Cooking – Ninja Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker Cookbook by Mary P. Cook:

The Woodfire Way: Ninja Electric BBQ and Grill Smoker for Beginners by Lisbeth Bradbury:

The Quick Start Guide that comes with the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill & Smoker features easy-to-follow recipes. It’s a handy booklet to read ahead of first using the Ninja Woodfire Grill and it provides a guide to cooking times under the various settings.

You can also top up your supply of Ninja Woodfire Pellets via Amazon:

Further information

Find out more about the electric barbecue grill and smoker reviewed in this post on the Ninja website.

Stuart Forster, the author of this post, is an award-winning writer. His work has been published by the likes of BBC Good Food, Food and Travel and Love Food.

The photos illustrating this post are by Why Eye Photography.

Thanks for reading this post about the Ninja Woodfire Electric BBQ Grill and Smoker. Enjoy home cooking? You may find inspiration from my spaghetti carbonara recipe with Parma ham recipe.

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