ranch kettle and Vortex

[Ken Mc]

being new to the Ranch, any sense in buying  Vortex for it??
any and ALL input is welcome!

[Schaefd2]

I would think a vortex would be quite small. Maybe custom make a larger one?


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[Ken Mc]

they do make an extra large, but I tend to agree, it still would be too small, although they say it would be for a ranch on Owens BBQ site. And with the vent in the middle of the kettle.....

[JEBIV]

As big as the ranch is you could setup your vortex for a hot cook in one zone for sure. I have yet to use my vortex in my Ranch but believe it would work fine. Leaving plenty of room for others zones of cooking. I only have a medium vortex,they make a large which is a good bit bigger

[qwesthunter]

That's great —was curious if the seller held onto it for you @ken mc


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[Ken Mc]

Yes he did qwest, he was a good guy... not sure about the age of Kettle though. Do the vents tell on the ranch as well? He said he bought new like 5 years ago but the bottom vents say EE


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[JEBIV]

Bottom vent tells the story

[cigarman20]

Hey, maybe try cutting the bottom off an old 18" kettle... perhaps you won't get the Venturi effect but it might be an economical way to corral the coals.


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[saxart]

Here's what a Ranch looks like with a chunk of a 22" kettle being used as a vortex.  I use this set up to smoke large briskets overnight.  The "snake" of charcoal will go almost 1/2 way around in the 6-ish hours I sleep.



I guess it really isn't a vortex, but more of a ring to keep the charcoal along the edges and a place for a drip pan in the middle.
The problem with trying to make a vortex for a Ranch is that the distance between the coals and the cook grate isn't to scale for the size of the grill.  In other words, the coals are a similar distance to the food as how it is on a 22" kettle.  if you had a vortex in the middle of the grill, it wouldn't be large enough to make extreme heat like it does in a standard kettle.

[ZebraZoo]

I only use my vortex to cook chicken wings. The rancher would cook a LOT of wings...

[hawgheaven]

I don't own a Rancher, butt I do have 18's and 22's with the V installed. Yes. Grate wings. And Thighs. And pork chops. And steaks. And burgers. And dawgz. Anything you can circle around it. Friggin' grate tool...

[ZebraZoo]

I don't own a Rancher, butt I do have 18's and 22's with the V installed. Yes. Grate wings. And Thighs. And pork chops. And steaks. And burgers. And dawgz. Anything you can circle around it. Friggin' grate tool...

I'm really surprised it's not a gold medal winner on amazing ribs.

[Jon]

Although I dig the Vortex on the 22 and 18, I don't think Vortex heat and circulation characteristics are needed on the Ranch.

The Ranch has enough below-decks real estate to place enough lit charcoal to keep temps at Vortex levels and do indirect cooking of a large amount of food.

[wingzofsteel]

My Ranch with a Vortex. I use it exclusively for steaks, chops, burgers, wings, and thighs. And with all the sides.

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