Finally have a Poortex

[clarissa]

Pulled out my aluminum cake pan and my hubby made it into a reasonable pseudo vortex for me. Used it tonight for chicken thighs. Got a late start but dinner was done in just over an hour.

My Poortex


Start of cook


Ready to serve


Plenty of steam left but nothing to cook



Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[Jules V.]

Great job! Really no reason to spend that kind of money on a vortex when you can make one for $5 or less. Just pick up a pot or steamer insert from goodwill and cut it yourself.  I made 3 different sizes  (height /width ) out of steamer imserts. The steamer inserts are nice since they have holes on the sides. You'll end up with higher temperature  while using less charcoal. 


JV

[clarissa]

@Jules V
Would it make sense to drill some holes in the side of my cake pan?

[Jules V.]

@Clarissa
 
You don't have to drill holes.  Having the holes create more airflow around the charcoal.  The charcoal will burn  faster and hotter.   If you're after higher heat, then drill some holes.   Better yet, just keep your poortex the way it is. Just make another one out of a steamer insert so you can compare which one to use for certain type of cooking. I'll post some photos later when I  get home. 



JV

[Jon]

Don't drill holes. If you don't want to buy a Vortex, just use what you have or use regular baskets. The food looks really good.

A Vortex will marginally increase airflow rate because of its conical shape. It shield the food from radiant heat, and increases cooking by convection. Your chicken cooks quickly, you don't have to flip, don't reach across the Vortex. A charcoal holder without that shape won't circulate air as efficiently. But if the food is good - it's all good.

[TheKevman]

Great looking setup and good looking chicken thighs. I might have to try something like this.

What'd you season the chicken with?

[clarissa]

Great looking setup and good looking chicken thighs. I might have to try something like this.

What'd you season the chicken with?

Simple seasoning for this......Madras Curry Powder and some garlic powder rubbed on.  Very flavorful

[Bigmac]

I been planning on making something similar to that,great idea. Also that chicken looks great!

[clarissa]

Well tonight I used my poortex thinking it would be good for searing scallops in my pan. Well that was way too hot. The bacon stuck to the pan and fell off the side of the scallops.  In the end it came out tasty but a mess of a cleanup.

All I can say about poortex is that it creates a real raging inferno. Here it is after all food was cooked.......and it is still burning. For some reason I can not close the bottom vents.....they won't move. Put the lid on with top vent closed hoping it will help snuff out the poortex.




Also...just want to say look what I did too



Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

[Jules V.]

Well tonight I used my poortex thinking it would be good for searing scallops in my pan. Well that was way too hot. The bacon stuck to the pan and fell off the side of the scallops.  In the end it came out tasty but a mess of a cleanup.

All I can say about poortex is that it creates a real raging inferno. Here it is after all food was cooked.......and it is still burning. For some reason I can not close the bottom vents.....they won't move. Put the lid on with top vent closed hoping it will help snuff out the poortex.




Also...just want to say look what I did too



Sent from my iPhone using Weber Kettle Club mobile app

That's just too hot for bacon.  Just the scallops would have been perfect sear.  Great for doing reverse sear on steak though. 


JV

[SMOKE FREAK]

I use a setup like this when placing a CI pan over the Vortex...Or in this pic it was a Hickory wood fire...
It creates a buffer between the afterburner heat and the pan...Bricks with the holes in em still transfer plenty of heat...
And when making pizza it gets the pie closer to the dome for good browning and melting of the toppings...



This was a pizza I did recently over the "V"...


Hope this helps ya next time...

[clarissa]

Thanks......if I had thought about it more thoroughly, I should have used my coal baskets over the vortex to raise my pan.  That would probably have made a big difference.  Next scallop cook will be better. And....vortex is only good for some cooks....I kind of got carried away because it is a new little accessory now. That cake pan worked so well and it was easier to snip the flange and fold it down than it would have been cutting the bottom off a bowl.

[Big Dawg]

@clarissa and @Jules V., both of you have great looking Poortex versions and show what kind of imagination and ingenuity that exists ion this group.   I've got the "real" Vortex, primarily because I lack both ! ! !





BD

[Jules V.]

@clarissa and @Jules V., both of you have great looking Poortex versions and show what kind of imagination and ingenuity that exists ion this group.   I've got the "real" Vortex, primarily because I lack both ! ! !





BD

I'm just poor.  My 2 poortex cost $5.49 tax included.


JV

[clarissa]

Mine cost nothing because that cake pan was in my cabinet for decades.  Hasn't been used since my kids were young.  I have other tube pans so this was put into more important service. And it really does work extremely well. It gets really HOT and the coals lasted very long.