VORTEX (IN) DIRECT HEAT for Charcoal Grills, Medium Size - Fits Weber Kettle 22 26.75 WSM Smokey Mountain XL Kamado XL Big Green Egg

Product Information

The BBQ Fuel Dome is made from high grade brushed stainless steel. I have had mine for 9 months and much of the time it is exposed to the elements but still looks and works great. This thing is rugged. The manufacturer takes pride in its USA-made, impurities-free, chemical-free stainless steel construction. You can roll or toss it around, and it won’t show any bents or dents. The weld is also seamless. How do you use it?

I was really impressed by how crispy these were. The coating had taken on some of the smoke, which might not be to everyone’s taste but I really like it. Adding the rub to the flour mix also worked really well. You could definitely taste it but it wasn’t overpowering. The Dome can redirect the flow of heat up and around the meat which turns your kettle into an indirect 'smoker'. Next, throw them in the fridge for at least 2-3 hrs, but ideally overnight. The reason we do this is because we want the salt from the seasoning to pull the moisture out of the skin. The reason we want less moisture is because we want that crispy skin that we all love from our favorite wing place.According to many users, Vortex performs better than banking charcoal to one side and cooking the bird on the other side on the bottom grate. The bird in the Vortex cooked more evenly, though it took more time than the one cooked without it. What if I told you that you can have it all? That’s right--you can have the smoke flavor of the smoker, the crispiness of the deep fryer, and the convenience of using only one item to make them! The method for the coating was spot on, so a huge thank you to Ted. This will be the method I will follow in the future with this type of cook and also with other foods where you want a crispy coating.

This method is Volcano style, with the small opening on top. It creates a super high heat zone directly above the Vortex. When I first tested this method, the temps above the BBQ Vortex were only marginally higher than two full Weber baskets. I used a steel plate and an infrared thermometer to compare. Both the Vortex and the baskets brought the steel up into the 800 degree range using Coshell. This was very disappointing at first, but when I ran the test again using Kingsford, the results were very different. The sear zone over the vortex was once again crazy hot, right around 650-700 degrees, while the baskets barely hit 500. The BBQ Vortex DEFINITELY created a super hot sear spot.The Vortex BBQ is an excellent kettle grill addon for direct cooking, indirect cooking, 2-zone cooking, and smoking. You can also use it for regular searing, reverse searing, or rotisserie. Do you need to Get BBQ Vortex? Vortex (in) direct heat, the company behind the BBQ Vortex, promises four primary uses of its accessory, which include:

If you don’t own a BBQ Vortex, you could cook these using an indirect method for around 45 minutes to 1 hour and then cook directly for a few minutes to crisp them up. Again, cooking indirectly I would recommend adding some wood chunks or wood chips to add a little smokiness. If you’re into low and slow cooking, you probably know how hard it’s to arrange the fire every time before cooking. You might be using methods like the snake or the minion method to arrange the briquettes so that they self-ignite over time strategically. I don’t know Zach personally, but the man is a genius. First thing you will notice is the bottle. It is a spray bottle! I am not sure why nobody else is doing this, but it is great as it gives you complete control to season a couple of wings with a simple spray. I’d like to point out that Mad Hunky sent some wing rubs to try, since he knew I’d be cooking a metric shit-ton of wings during my tests. Overall, I think the BBQ Vortex is a great accessory. A really simple concept and design but definitely one that works.Using the Indirect-Direct method, the Vortex basically creates a really high funnel of heat that deflects against the BBQ lid and then is channelled down onto your food. You are recommended to rotate the BBQ lid to ensure that the heat distribution is consistent due to the positioning of the vents in the lid. Once the wings are separated, lay them on a baking sheet and sprinkle some wing seasoning on them. We used the Owens buffalo wing seasoning that came with our vortex but you can use any kind you want (or even our all purpose BBQ rub.)

I used thighs, which I prefer over breasts, as I think it is easier to cook and not dry out. It is the same when I do kebabs, but on occasion, I will do a mix of thigh and breast. This setting is the most efficient, useful way to cook with the Vortex. It provides even, consistent heat to whatever you throw around it. It just outclasses every method and accessory available for a kettle or Kamado grill.

The Results

Verdit: The BBQ Vortex wins the wing competition hands down. This method alone makes the Vortex worth buying. fill the dome and get your coals glowing, this creates a very intense concentrated cooking surface in the centre of your BBQ, allowing you to achieve that true steakhouse sear.