Haywire Hippie Vortex...............

[1buckie]

Well, this could have gone better.....

With all the nifty Vortex & other hi-heat cookups going on, I thought I'd try to keep up......never seems to go very smoothly when I flail about above 350f.............

Put some firebrick in (narrow ones so the air could get thru easy) w/ baskets on top, Coshell mostly, seemed good & hot to start...



Put all the other stuff on a bank setup elsewhere......corn, bacon wrapped cobettes, bacon wrap asparagus w/ blue cheese smashed inside, bacon wrap onion halves, tiny reds.....



Diddled around some while that stuff was going & the "vortex" kinda tanked some.....heat not being quite what it should be, I stuck shit right on the coals.....



Crispy......fast.....all caught up now.....



Big plus here, chicken fat made the fire hot again..........



Done heaped......








Conclusion:

Get a Vortex or be better at this stuff than I can do....the chicken did squirt across the room when bitten, however.....

[1911Ron]

    Good looking chicken tho!

[mrbill]

having used both methods(baskets in middle and vortex), my opinion is the vortex creates a truer high heat center than having the baskets in the middle. w/the vortex, the heat is directed more towards the center and upwards because it reflects more of the heat to the center due to its solid sides. the baskets have openings on the sides, allowing some of the heat to escape outwards instead of upwards.

[1buckie]

Makes perfect sense Mr. Bill !!!!

[austin87]

Agreed with MrBill. I rarely put the baskets in the middle of the charcoal grate, I usually set them against the side of the kettle for a concentrated sear zone and an indirect area.

You would love the vortex @1buckie. Still, I would say the chicken looks edible and like all the sides!

[G$]

^
I am gonna call it a success based on this evidence.  Yum.

Vortex is a unique enough beast that you should try the real deal at some point.   

We know that "just a kettle and some coal" is all that is needed for awesome results.  But the toys are fun too!

[Johnpv]

Some damn nice looking chicken there, I'll be over later today for left overs

[addicted-to-smoke]

The cone shape of the Vortex likely contributes to its concentration of heat creation.

Putting two char baskets in the center is certainly a valid idea, after all the Vortex is doing a similar arrangement to get you even heat distribution all around. FWIW I've seen a lid temp of 700 with centered char baskets filled with lump.

[JDD]

Sure looks good to me.

[wyd]

Really enjoy reading your posts.  Looks like everything turned out great as my mouth is watering.