Explain to me Vortex wings

[haeffb]

I don't have a Vortex, and am trying to understand why I need one. I hear it used most for cooking wings and getting them crispy.

The wings I made last night with charcoal baskets were really good, but I wouldn't call them crispy.

How/why does the Vortex produce crispier wings than just plain Ol' charcoal baskets?

[bigdaddyII]

I am going to keep checking this thread because I am curious myself. All these gadgets are cool and all that, but priced way out of the range I'm willing to pay for something that does what can likely be replicated with what I already have.

[Geezer]

It's just like a Hadron Collider, only smaller.



I don't know the hows or whys, I just know it works.

[cumminfourya]

I do not have one. But I think cause of the shape of the vortex is how it works. The heat is forced out of the top of it and hits the dome lid and rolls the heat down the insides of the kettle. Really cooking the wings to a crispy finish. That is just my understanding of how it works. But I could very well be wrong.


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[varekai]

I do not have one. But I think cause of the shape of the vortex is how it works. The heat is forced out of the top of it and hits the dome lid and rolls the heat down the insides of the kettle. Really cooking the wings to a crispy finish. That is just my understanding of how it works. But I could very well be wrong.


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I believe this to be a fair assessment, it concentrates the heat and makes an almost convection type environment.. I have one, used it twice, can't remember what I cooked, OH YEA, one cook was a beer can chicken in the middle of it with coals around it, THAT turned out good,  but I like gadgets and like trying new ways of cooking.

[captjoe06]

I used a STOK charcoal basket that was shaped similarly to a vortex and used it in the same fashion.  It worked great but produced so much heat that the bottom charcoal grate sagged a bit after a bunch of uses.  Since then I've pretty much only used the charcoal baskets pushed together and placed the wings along the outside perimeter and have had just as good results.

One of the keys with the wings is to make sure you pat them dry with a paper towel before you cook them and also to get your coals blazing before you put the chicken on.  I do not see the need to purchase the Vortex if you have the charcoal baskets.  Here's the visuals with and without-

Wings with STOK charcoal basket inverted-
https://northeastbbq.com/2016/06/20/chicken-wings-using-the-stokgrills-charcoal-basket-like-a-vortex/




Wings with charcoal baskets-
https://northeastbbq.com/2016/05/17/chicken-wings-on-the-webergrills-kettle-captjoelobster/

[jaynik]

The vortex works as described above.  I own one.  Concentrates the heat and uses the shape of the kettle to its advantage.  You can cook great wings with it, but you can cook great wings without it.  You've got to try it to see if you like it, but that's a $50 gamble.  I gambled and am happy.

I do find that i'm able to get a better cook out of floured wings with the vortex than without.  With the vortex, the floured wings are like fried chicken.

[THUNDERDOME]

Short answer: Very High Indirect Heat. Wings have a high skin to meat ratio so getting the skin crispy is as important for flavor (for wings) more-so than just stopping when I.T. gets to 165, in my opinion.

Here is some I did last night on my 26.75". Seasoned wings w/ Owens BBQ Buffalo Wing Rub/Mad HUnky Meats Hot Wang/Texas Chrome BBQ Rub. No flour. No oil. No need for sauce, and crispy like a fried wing. Also posted the pic of the Vortex after the cook when I shut it down so you can see how much charcoal is left that can be used again for the next cook w/ a top-off of more charcoal.

[Bustin Butt]

Those wings are purty!


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[haeffb]

Nice looking wings @THUNDERDOME. What is your cook temp with the Vortex? I was running about 425 on the dome thermo for my cook and the wings were at 160 to 180 way before the skin would have crisped.


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[THUNDERDOME]

Thanks @haeffb I'm guessing I was cooking around 450. The dome temp was much higher than that w/ a full Vortex (Medium) w/ Kingsford Blue Bag. All coals are completely set before I put wings on.

[Ted_IL]

I want some!  Man, those wings look perfect to me.

[Texmech]

Use mine all the time for wings and always have great results. I also am still experimenting with searing meats like steak in the beginning or using the reverse searing method. Still can't decide on that, but I would have one just for my wings.

[DarrenC]

I reproduced this technique on Saturday using a cut down coffee can.  No need for gadgetry whatsoever.

[austin87]

Do you know if a coffee can is safe at those temps? I'd be concerned it would leach out nasties. The vortex I stainless steel.

I have 2 (small and medium) and given a couple as gifts. I'm a big fan.