First cook with my ghetto vortex. Chicken drumsticks with pR0n

[effinUker]

I picked up a stainless steel bucket or flower pot or something from a thrift store for a couple bucks. Thought I'd rig up my own vortex.  I think it may be more like the smaller one that you can buy commercially. 

My wife wanted barbecued chicken for dinner so I figured I would take it for a test drive.












Seasoned the chicken with Lawry's garlic salt, and a blend we make with MSG, salt, onion & pepper.




Got the vortex full of Kingsford Applewood charcoal briquettes. It's sitting over top of the gas assist on my Performer.








Check out that crispy skin. This was about an hour in.




Sauced them up with Sticky Fingers Memphis Original.










Here we go, dinner is ready.  My wife made cukes & onions in a mayo sauce, and we served it all with a nice crispy Meijer Kosher dill pickle.





Verdict: This thing kicks ass. She wants me to do chicken quarters next time.

[Shoestringshop]

@effinUker My wife, son and I love 1/4 chicken! we have a place in Schiller Park, IL. that just had them on sale @.39 per LB I bought 30Lbs. I would love to cook that on the thrift store VORTEX. Good job and great thinking

[addicted-to-smoke]

Neat "mod" using the thrift store whatchamacallit. How do you like the K apple wood? Just started seeing that. And how do you like the Sticky Fingers? I got a jar for Xmas but haven't opened it yet.

[AJ328]

What kind of temps were you getting out of it? I took the plunge and bought a vortex last month and on the first use I was dissapointed because it only got up to 150 degrees. It wasn't until I went to grab the handle that I realized the thermometer had made a complete revolution and the actual temp must have been around 900.

The steak was well done-- my hand was medium rare.

[1911Ron]

Good looking chicken!

[effinUker]

Neat "mod" using the thrift store whatchamacallit. How do you like the K apple wood? Just started seeing that. And how do you like the Sticky Fingers? I got a jar for Xmas but haven't opened it yet.

It was my first cook with the applewood charcoal, and it burned so hot I'm not sure I got any applewood flavor from it. Next time I'll use it for just a regular cook & see how it does.  The Sticky Fingers was good, I'll buy it again.

[effinUker]

What kind of temps were you getting out of it? I took the plunge and bought a vortex last month and on the first use I was dissapointed because it only got up to 150 degrees. It wasn't until I went to grab the handle that I realized the thermometer had made a complete revolution and the actual temp must have been around 900.

The steak was well done-- my hand was medium rare.

It pegged the lid therm, but I kind of expected that since it directs the heat right at it.  The therm I had on the grate was constant about 375 for over an hour. I was pretty happy too - it's hard to tell, but that thing only holds maybe just over 1/2 a chimney full of coals. I wasn't sure it would stay hot long enough to cook the legs all the way through.


Kick ass - this is my 50th post. 

[addicted-to-smoke]

The steak was well done-- my hand was medium rare.

Sig worthy!

[THUNDERDOME]

The steak was well done-- my hand was medium rare.

Sig worthy!

Haha 2nd that!

Great lookin drummies

[Qreps]

Great looking chicken! Does this setup help you get bite through skin?  I've been thinking of doing the same thing. Is this a must have mod? It seem to be a very efficient way to get high heat grilling.

[eccj]

Looks like the skin pulled back on all the legs. Congrats!✌

[effinUker]

Great looking chicken! Does this setup help you get bite through skin?  I've been thinking of doing the same thing. Is this a must have mod? It seem to be a very efficient way to get high heat grilling.

Yep, we were able to bite through the skin with no difficulty.  I'm very pleased with the way this thing works, I did some reverse seared cowboy pork chops last night. They were amazing too. This is quickly becoming one of my favorite grill tools.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Gents I need a chicken refresher. This is the nth thread I've seen related to "vortex" and bone-in chicken (small or individual pieces) and notwithstanding the vortex-y type gadgets I suppose I've been doing it wrong.

If I'm reading between the lines correctly, bone-in, skin-on, small piece chix work best with high indirect heat, full stop, end of story.

Yes?

[THUNDERDOME]

Gents I need a chicken refresher. This is the nth thread I've seen related to "vortex" and bone-in chicken (small or individual pieces) and notwithstanding the vortex-y type gadgets I suppose I've been doing it wrong.

If I'm reading between the lines correctly, bone-in, skin-on, small piece chix work best with high indirect heat, full stop, end of story.

Yes?

It was made for chicken (wings to be specific) but really shines or at least people have the ah-ha moment w/ chicken first.

[addicted-to-smoke]

Not to hijack this thread, but so then, what about smoked wings, smoked legs ... cook them slow like that and them move them to a Vortex-enabled grill for a crisp high heat finish?