I take the Weber charcoal baskets and put them both in the middle and make a sort of a Vortx with them. And then put the wings on the outside and it works out very well.
Just watched this today and I think the temperature difference between the sns and vortex is more where you're temp is being taken, the thermometer in your lid is directly over the vortex, so obviously it will read hotter than the probe reads at grate level on the other side of the kettle to the sns
I was taught when grilling that you get a medium heat and put your meat on for a set time, 5-10 depending on style and meat. Then you flip and based on the cookness and time, you double the time, plus or minus. Now I can use the excuse that I want my meat to know that I have not forgotten them.
Thanks for these! I generally do my wings either like you did with the sns or baskets in the middle. As far as crisping - I run a lower temp then sear them directly over the coals wherever the basket is at the end. I find it’s the easiest way to control the skin
I've used all 3 for wings and my preference is vortex hands down! Slow N Sear is great for smoked salmon, ribs, pulled pork, and brisket, though I've moved to the Weber Smokey Mountain for ribs, pulled pork, and brisket and only used the Slow N Sear for smoked salmon anymore...
Ive been searching for a video to get my grill hotter after a cook for reverse searing. The crack the lid trick is the thing I need. Thank you boss. Learned more from this video than most of the others ive watched.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to compare and contrast the differences in the three methods. I broke down and bought a Vortex and had very satisfying results with it. I like the Slow and Sear but it's a bit over my budget to justify the cost and there are some suitable alternatives to it. Thanks again.
I like the versatility of the charcoal baskets. You can put them together to in the center or off to one side, instead of just one on either end. You can also just use one basket if you're doing a low and slow cook.
I thought about doing my baskets that way but went for the edges instead for some reason. I might do another video where I show using the baskets in the middle. My purpose was mostly to show some different setups more so than a head to head to see which one was best. A video pretty much everyone can do regardless of which accessories you have. It also wasn't fair comparing lid thermos for the vortex and baskets cooks to the grate temp with the SNS setup. I should have used my other SSP for the SNS cook to even things out. The vents are a bit smaller on the Cado as well which changes how hot the grill gets.
I have a Vortex, but have done the same with the baskets when I needed to run an extra kettle for a big party. The only drawback to the baskets is that they leave a bit less grate space than the Vortex.
The man-verse needs heroes like you to do what it takes to learn how to do important man activities like using fire to cook animal parts. I salute you. I am going to be cooking chicken wings for my friends tonight, and based on your research I believe I will use the vortex method. Just as an aside, I am a Canadian and I visited Colorado last year. I now consider Colorado to be a good place and the men there to be brothers.
I like how you showed the picture of the half eaten wing. Lol. Them thing lol good brother. I still might flip it to be traditional but, if I forget, not a big deal. Good cooking bro
Outstanding content! I liked and subscribed! I grill literally 2-3 times a day, that's truly accurate. Crispy, tight to the meat chicken skin is a huge challenge for anyone! I am currently using an Akorn insulated grill. I change grill types at about18 month intervals to learn and adapt to different conditions and climates. I do thighs more often than wings due to economics and preferences, I also use hardwood solid charcoal only, no briquettes, and no wax, petro or gimmicky starters ever. Thank you for the clarity, and straight forward manner of presentation!
great comparison vid. I recently bought the SNS Kettle Grill with all the bells & whistles... I was considering getting a Vortex just for cooking wings but based on this vid I'll just save my $$$ and use the SNS.
I use the IQ 110 and set it to 250 degrees smoked with cherry wood chunks for 2 hours in direct, then finish them over the hot coals to crisp them and sauce. Great video 👍. Thanks
Thanks for the video. I have a Slow N Sear but was considering buying the Vortex and a grate with the removable center, primarily for doing chicken wings. Now I know I'm not missing anything and my Slow N Sear gives me more usable room for indirect cooking larger cuts. You saved me some money!
I like having both. Something about the vortex makes wings easier in my mind. It’s probably 95% mental. I think they are compared to each other a lot but for me they are different tools for different jobs. The grate with the removable center is great with the vortex but not required. My EasySpin Grate has been used with my vortex a lot and has held up great. I can’t say the same for the weber hinged grate (without the removable center). I gone through a few of those with my vortex.
I really like the Slow N Sear and have recommended it to a couple of my friends. The Easy Spin grate you mentioned sounds like something I definitely need for the Slow N Sear (for adding more charcoal), plus I'm going to try the cold grate method next time I do steaks and it would be great if the grate doesn't hang up like the Weber hinged grates.
Was a little concerned about getting enough heat after watching this but using my kettle with the baskets back to back in the middle I had no problem hitting 550F.
Good video, thanks. I do wing every week with baskets positioned in the middle. I get temps over 500. I use a whole chimney and often have a little left over when I shut the grill down. Wings take between 30-40 min and skin is crispy, meat is moist.
I’ve found the air is too thin here in Denver for a full chimney to burn as hot as it does at lower altitude. I actually get more heat using a less than a chimney full. I guess with a little less charcoal there is enough air for the coals to burn full throttle where there isn’t with a full chimney.
@@thekettlecookers Watching this and responding has me wonder if I could do get away with 3/4 chimney. My lid heat indicator (because I don't consider it scientific measuring device) tags out at 600+
I agree 💯 about the charcoal. I find that less even in lower altitudes works for me. I see a bunch of people use way too much in my opinion. Great video, subscribed and hit the bell.
I like grilling wings, too. My seasoning mix, consists of a 25% lemon pepper, 25% kosher salt, 25% garlic power, then the remainder paprika, cumin, and ground coriander.
Now used several methods and IMHO vortex does it best. But recommend lid sealed until the meat is almost done (and way quicker than you think, these are REALLY small delicate portions of meat) followed by lid cracked with a chunk or two of wood on fire sending the cooker into pizza temp range to crisp the skin, but not long enough to overcook the meat. Tender juicy meat, super crisp skin. Once you get it dialed in, I'm betting this is how you'll do wings on a kettle.
I have the original and bank my coal. With the hole in the middle and the vortex, I think I will cook about twice as much at once. Now if I can get this snow to melt.
I like using the the charcoal baskets but I put them together and place them on the edge of the kettle. (indirect cooking surface becomes a crescent moon shape)
Don't do it. Save up just a little more an get the SnS grill! It's already got all the mods you are going to want to add anyway. Mine is on the way now. snsgrills.com/products/deluxe-kettle-grill?afmc=SGO
Great Video Mike! I’ve got to cook a bunch of wings tomorrow and it’s been a while since I’ve used my vortex. This was a big help. I was like a kid in school taking notes. Lol
I remove the center of the grate and put those baskets together and use them just like the vortex for cooking wings and checken pieces. It prolly doesnt get quite as hot but it does the job. Good vodeo....thanks.
Sometimes you know something, but you have to see somebody else do it before you actually grok it. I’ve been doing slow burns like lighting one side of the sns and long burning that, or dumping a freshly lit basket on a hot burn, but just that trick of putting an unlit layer on the bottom made me facepalm myself for not seeing that as the solution to just needing a little bit more time than one basket will provide that I keep running into. Because the fresh coals spike the temp, but dumping unlit charcoal on top will blacken up the smoke. I think I may have even done it before, but forgot about it. So thanks for reinforcing that.
I think I was out of half pans or I would have done that not only to help direct airflow to the coals but to keep the drippings off the bottom of the kettle! That reminds me, I think I’m out of pans again. 😂🤣😂😬
It was cool to see a comparison between the three. I don‘t have any of those accessories yet, but I‘ve been thinking about the slow n sear for at least 2 years, haha. Cool video man!
I thought I was the only one who takes that long to pull a trigger 😂 It’s probably because in the back of my head I know it won’t make a noticeable difference than just throwing the charcoal on the grate, but I still want a cool bbq gadget 😅
Very thorough and thoughtful. I was quite interested in the altitudes effects on the air /oxygen I am at 250 feet above sea level and when I go out to Greece with my micro griller it's always different and also the humidity plays a lesser part
Interesting the Denver altitude is lowering the temp. SNS and volcano are awesome, but in the UK a SNS deluxe is £120~ ($152)!!, and considering a master-touch 5755 model (stainless gbs) is about £300~ ($380) I couldn’t justify SNS, so opting for the baskets at £20 ($25), may get a volcano in the future. Cool vid man thanks.
Great video!!!!! I would just say, add the smoked wood chips first to the bottom and not to cross contaminate with the spices after touching the raw chicken. Other than that, great comparison. i prefer the vortex at home myself
Thumbs up on this video. Very practical and informative. Enjoyed your more recent tri-tip one as well. Thanks for sharing the knowledge and experience.
Good straight forward comparison of the three different methods. I have used the same methods and prefer the vortex for wings. I actually grill more chicken thighs than wings using the vortex and they turn out amazing. The skin on the thighs turn out super crispy !
@@BackyardEngineer334 The Vortex (and cheaper knockoffs on eBay and Amazon) is probably the single best addition you can make to a Weber kettle. The Slow and Sear is heavily marketed, heavily hyped, overpriced, and unnecessary IMHO. And he could have turned the basket cook into a "Slow and Sear" style cook by merely placing BOTH baskets (fitted together) on one side of the bowl. The resuls would have been just like the Slow and Sear at a tenth of the cost.
Are you using lump or briquettes? I’m starting to think that since lump burns hotter it sucks up a lot more oxygen than briquettes do. If you rub half a chimney of lump it can burn at 100% of its potential, but if you use too much you just have more charcoal burning at lower temp since you’ve exceeded the amount of oxygen available for max burn/temps.
I did this and it took a while longer to heat up. It hit around 515 degrees and held it for about 30-45 minutes tops. Wings came out crispy but a little dry (cooking time was bad). My Vortex came in yesterday so I’ll be giving it a shot soon! You can also combine the two baskets to mimic a Slow n Sear (Vids on this).
TheKettleCookers I really liked that it explained both how to do it and the benefits of each method. Have all 3 types of basket so encouraged to try the variations. Looking forward to more of your cooks. ☘️
You *don't* do something in this video that I really appreciate, and that something is irritatingly much too common these days: you don't pad your video to increase length. I really appreciated your directness: you describe what you're doing in each step only to the extent needed. Too many people elaborate WAY too much on topics that don't need it (I don't need to be told how to strike a match or use a lighter, both things I've seen in videos lately). Secondly, I also appreciated your inclusion of the Weber baskets and mentioning the technique of putting charcoal on either side to create indirect heat. While I love accessories that make life easier and help my grilling & smoking/BBQ, there are almost always very inexpensive or free alternative techniques that can be used instead; to me, including that info indicates integrity & honesty. Again, the accessories are great and based on your video and my own research, I think I'm buying the vortex and grate you used with it.
Thank you. I really try not to have fluff in my videos if I can avoid it. I really liked the idea of doing the cook in this video using multiple accessories without making a judgement on them as to which is best. I did the cook and showed the process and end results so the viewer can decide which options to go with based on what they have available, ability to buy accessories or use what they have, etc.. I really appreciate your feedback. Hopefully I’ll be getting some new videos going soon.
The theory behind the baskets is being able to setup indirect heat and have the heat source on both sides. Slow N Sear is similar but the heat source is on one side. Kettles circulate air good enough to not really need the heat source on both sides.
Great video, subscribed & liked immediately. I like your presentation style. Just got a vortex & was curious about how to use it. I have the slow & Sear and have difficulty maintaining temp. I live in the Berkshires, but the altitude isn't nearly as high as yours, so I don't think that's the problem. I like your tip about too much charcoal, I'll try cutting back. Thanks
When we were talking about the vortex, I should’ve mentioned the grate getting damaged, not the dome😂I remembered people complaining about it causing damage in the groups. Just couldn’t remember what it damaged. Was that your mic cover that I saw fall on the chicken?😂Great comparison, now I want some crispy wings, thanks for sharing😃
Omg yes, my mic cover totally fell right into the chicken pan. I figured I’d leave it to see who is paying attention. As far as grate damage the stock and basic hinged grate (non GBS) do get damaged by the vortex. The stainless grate that comes with the 26” Weber does not. The ABC EasySpin grate holds up just fine as well. It’s the plated grates that have an issue.
I'm looking into a Vortex. I have a SNS and have great results. I do think you may get a bit of a burn with the wings closest to the SNS where as the vortex producing heat from the middle evenly distributes the heat. I also think have much more cooking area (evenly heated cooking area) with a Vortex. I think theres no comparison if you are cooking a large amount a wings. I'd be interested in your thoughts. This is a very nice comparison vid for the three methods.
I think what you are saying sounds right. I think if you were doing multiple rows of wings with the SNS you might swap the row closest to the SNS with a middle row in the middle of the cook. The middle rows will get less heat than the rows closest to the SNS and closest to edge of the kettle.
Hi buddy. New subscriber here. Love the comparison of this video and showing us how to cook using 3 different methods for those that may have the 3 different styles of baskets. On to check out your other videos. Cheers
Thank you! Weather and real life has gotten in the way of doing new videos but there should be some coming soon. I think I'll try to stick with multiple cooking methods/accessories as best I can. Thanks again for stopping by!
Thank you. You can do wings fine without the vortex but the vortex makes it easier a little faster and more consistent. Make sure you get a medium vortex if you are looking to do really hot cooks like wings. The small works great but doesn’t get as hot as the medium.
Thanks! I think you are going to love your vortex! If you want crispy wings just make sure to cook the skin texture not internal temp. They will be well over 165 once the skin is crispy.
I think to hit higher temperatures at your altitude you need a way of forcing more air into the fire. I don't know if anyone makes a fan for Weber grills. I have seen them for kamado grills.
I love(d) the vortex, but am now replacing the one-touch cleaning system. The vortex can run the kettle so hot (dome 600-650F using lump, great for wings and sliders indirect), the sweeping vanes warp, destroying not only cleaning ability, but also any temp control for slower BBQ cooks. My second time having to do this, previously without the vortex running the kettle at 700-800F using Kingsford and hardwood, making pizzas. The replacement kit costs about $20, but the old unit is a pain to remove, so be warned.
It sounded like the SNS and Vortex was about even, but it would've been nice if you actually gave the a ranking of the three... even if it was close. Given the cost of the SNS... I would think the Vortex would be the better choice (since it's cheaper than the SNS).
I’m not sure that would work. You’d have to rely on the grate balancing in the chimney and I’m not sure if the lid would fit on. The angled metal of the vortex puts off a lot of radiant heat that is angled towards the bottom of the cooking grate which is why I don’t need to flip wings. The chimney wouldn’t do that. But hey, give it a try and see how it works. A grate over a chimney works great for searing!
Little late here but there is an easy mod to the weber baskets. It's called a Bro-n-Sear. Basically you take them apart and join them together with a couple of screws. Do a search on it and you will find plenty of videos.
Great comparison video man! Believe it or not I still don’t own a SNS yet. I still use two bricks! But I’ve done wings both with the baskets on either side and with the vortex. Aside from the insane heat levels the vortex produces what I like most about it is the capacity it creates. You can do a lot of wings with that thing. Of course running baskets on either side creates just the opposite situation, verity very little room in the middle. I do that for turkey wings or “kettle-fried” wings where I want the “Kentucky-fried” thing happening. Very informative video brother! Looking forward to watching more of your stuff.
Great video about wings on the kettle. But the heat from the vortex is not going to harm the grate. Unless weber didn’t use the right welding material, and I doubt that. I don’t understand why you had to add unlit charcoal. You had way to much charcoal for a 45 minute cook, IMO
I take the Weber charcoal baskets and put them both in the middle and make a sort of a Vortx with them. And then put the wings on the outside and it works out very well.
Just watched this today and I think the temperature difference between the sns and vortex is more where you're temp is being taken, the thermometer in your lid is directly over the vortex, so obviously it will read hotter than the probe reads at grate level on the other side of the kettle to the sns
Im still going to flip mine, just to let them know that im there thinking about them
LMAO!!!! “Don’t make me have to flip you twice!”
Awww
I was taught when grilling that you get a medium heat and put your meat on for a set time, 5-10 depending on style and meat. Then you flip and based on the cookness and time, you double the time, plus or minus.
Now I can use the excuse that I want my meat to know that I have not forgotten them.
I kiss the flame that comes off my grill so it can pass my love unto the food 😙
Thanks for these! I generally do my wings either like you did with the sns or baskets in the middle. As far as crisping - I run a lower temp then sear them directly over the coals wherever the basket is at the end. I find it’s the easiest way to control the skin
I've used all 3 for wings and my preference is vortex hands down! Slow N Sear is great for smoked salmon, ribs, pulled pork, and brisket, though I've moved to the Weber Smokey Mountain for ribs, pulled pork, and brisket and only used the Slow N Sear for smoked salmon anymore...
Just casually grilling on 3 killer webers! A vintage, ranch kettle and a premium!
Thanks for making me laugh. That might be the best comment on any of my videos! Thanks for watching the video and more importantly for the comment!
Ive been searching for a video to get my grill hotter after a cook for reverse searing. The crack the lid trick is the thing I need. Thank you boss. Learned more from this video than most of the others ive watched.
Thanks for taking the time and effort to compare and contrast the differences in the three methods. I broke down and bought a Vortex and had very satisfying results with it. I like the Slow and Sear but it's a bit over my budget to justify the cost and there are some suitable alternatives to it. Thanks again.
Thanks very useful and informative, I had assumed you would put the charcoal baskets in the center like the vortex
I like the versatility of the charcoal baskets. You can put them together to in the center or off to one side, instead of just one on either end. You can also just use one basket if you're doing a low and slow cook.
Good comparison. I use baskets in the middle like a Vortex and get crispy skin with a dome temp around 550.
I thought about doing my baskets that way but went for the edges instead for some reason. I might do another video where I show using the baskets in the middle. My purpose was mostly to show some different setups more so than a head to head to see which one was best. A video pretty much everyone can do regardless of which accessories you have. It also wasn't fair comparing lid thermos for the vortex and baskets cooks to the grate temp with the SNS setup. I should have used my other SSP for the SNS cook to even things out. The vents are a bit smaller on the Cado as well which changes how hot the grill gets.
I have a Vortex, but have done the same with the baskets when I needed to run an extra kettle for a big party. The only drawback to the baskets is that they leave a bit less grate space than the Vortex.
Thanks for the video. I appreciate that you keep it simple. My next cook, I'm giving no flip a try.
The man-verse needs heroes like you to do what it takes to learn how to do important man activities like using fire to cook animal parts. I salute you. I am going to be cooking chicken wings for my friends tonight, and based on your research I believe I will use the vortex method.
Just as an aside, I am a Canadian and I visited Colorado last year. I now consider Colorado to be a good place and the men there to be brothers.
Im a rookie here, just bought my first grill/smoker. This has been a great help 😊
I like how you showed the picture of the half eaten wing. Lol. Them thing lol good brother. I still might flip it to be traditional but, if I forget, not a big deal. Good cooking bro
Outstanding content! I liked and subscribed! I grill literally 2-3 times a day, that's truly accurate. Crispy, tight to the meat chicken skin is a huge challenge for anyone! I am currently using an Akorn insulated grill. I change grill types at about18 month intervals to learn and adapt to different conditions and climates. I do thighs more often than wings due to economics and preferences, I also use hardwood solid charcoal only, no briquettes, and no wax, petro or gimmicky starters ever. Thank you for the clarity, and straight forward manner of presentation!
great comparison vid. I recently bought the SNS Kettle Grill with all the bells & whistles... I was considering getting a Vortex just for cooking wings but based on this vid I'll just save my $$$ and use the SNS.
Well done! ..............the clip and the wings, of course.............
I use the IQ 110 and set it to 250 degrees smoked with cherry wood chunks for 2 hours in direct, then finish them over the hot coals to crisp them and sauce. Great video 👍. Thanks
Thanks for the video. I have a Slow N Sear but was considering buying the Vortex and a grate with the removable center, primarily for doing chicken wings. Now I know I'm not missing anything and my Slow N Sear gives me more usable room for indirect cooking larger cuts. You saved me some money!
I like having both. Something about the vortex makes wings easier in my mind. It’s probably 95% mental. I think they are compared to each other a lot but for me they are different tools for different jobs. The grate with the removable center is great with the vortex but not required. My EasySpin Grate has been used with my vortex a lot and has held up great. I can’t say the same for the weber hinged grate (without the removable center). I gone through a few of those with my vortex.
I really like the Slow N Sear and have recommended it to a couple of my friends. The Easy Spin grate you mentioned sounds like something I definitely need for the Slow N Sear (for adding more charcoal), plus I'm going to try the cold grate method next time I do steaks and it would be great if the grate doesn't hang up like the Weber hinged grates.
Excellent video. I will try all your techniques. One thing you may want to try is pecan wood. It gives a perfect smoky flavor.
Good advice on putting less charcoal to have more air volume I also live in Denver and I'll definitely try less charcoal next time. Happy grilling 👍🏼
Was a little concerned about getting enough heat after watching this but using my kettle with the baskets back to back in the middle I had no problem hitting 550F.
Good video, thanks. I do wing every week with baskets positioned in the middle. I get temps over 500. I use a whole chimney and often have a little left over when I shut the grill down. Wings take between 30-40 min and skin is crispy, meat is moist.
I’ve found the air is too thin here in Denver for a full chimney to burn as hot as it does at lower altitude. I actually get more heat using a less than a chimney full. I guess with a little less charcoal there is enough air for the coals to burn full throttle where there isn’t with a full chimney.
@@thekettlecookers Watching this and responding has me wonder if I could do get away with 3/4 chimney. My lid heat indicator (because I don't consider it scientific measuring device) tags out at 600+
I agree 💯 about the charcoal. I find that less even in lower altitudes works for me. I see a bunch of people use way too much in my opinion. Great video, subscribed and hit the bell.
What a great cook. So glad you did this for us.
Thank you!!! It was so horrible to have to snack on wings all day long while shooting this! 🤔🤥😂🤣
I like grilling wings, too. My seasoning mix, consists of a 25% lemon pepper, 25% kosher salt, 25% garlic power, then the remainder paprika, cumin, and ground coriander.
Now used several methods and IMHO vortex does it best. But recommend lid sealed until the meat is almost done (and way quicker than you think, these are REALLY small delicate portions of meat) followed by lid cracked with a chunk or two of wood on fire sending the cooker into pizza temp range to crisp the skin, but not long enough to overcook the meat. Tender juicy meat, super crisp skin. Once you get it dialed in, I'm betting this is how you'll do wings on a kettle.
Before I got my vortex, I used the baskets in the middle in the same manner as the vortex. They worked ok, but not as good as the vortex.
I have the original and bank my coal. With the hole in the middle and the vortex, I think I will cook about twice as much at once.
Now if I can get this snow to melt.
I like using the the charcoal baskets but I put them together and place them on the edge of the kettle. (indirect cooking surface becomes a crescent moon shape)
"And I'm gonna go ahead and..." XD ... (Just messin, thanks for the great video!)
I am in my final stages of geeting my next Weber. Thank you for showing the different options.
Don't do it. Save up just a little more an get the SnS grill! It's already got all the mods you are going to want to add anyway. Mine is on the way now. snsgrills.com/products/deluxe-kettle-grill?afmc=SGO
@@scottnra Too late, thanks though.
I enjoyed this video. Your explanations are just right and easy to recall. Thanks!
Thank you! Hopefully I’ll have new videos coming in the next month or two.
Great Video Mike! I’ve got to cook a bunch of wings tomorrow and it’s been a while since I’ve used my vortex. This was a big help. I was like a kid in school taking notes. Lol
Thanks man. Saw your wings on IG and Facebook and they came out AWESOME!!!
I remove the center of the grate and put those baskets together and use them just like the vortex for cooking wings and checken pieces. It prolly doesnt get quite as hot but it does the job. Good vodeo....thanks.
Dude knows how to cook wings. Awesome!
I just started BBQ'ing. Subscribed, because you did the comparisons of the accessories which helps a lot! THANKS, much appreciated!
Sometimes you know something, but you have to see somebody else do it before you actually grok it. I’ve been doing slow burns like lighting one side of the sns and long burning that, or dumping a freshly lit basket on a hot burn, but just that trick of putting an unlit layer on the bottom made me facepalm myself for not seeing that as the solution to just needing a little bit more time than one basket will provide that I keep running into. Because the fresh coals spike the temp, but dumping unlit charcoal on top will blacken up the smoke. I think I may have even done it before, but forgot about it. So thanks for reinforcing that.
Great video. If you put an aluminum pan between the Weber baskets the temperature in the grill will get hotter
I think I was out of half pans or I would have done that not only to help direct airflow to the coals but to keep the drippings off the bottom of the kettle! That reminds me, I think I’m out of pans again. 😂🤣😂😬
I picked up that same Webber stainless steel performer last year for 25 bucks like new. I love mine!
It was cool to see a comparison between the three. I don‘t have any of those accessories yet, but I‘ve been thinking about the slow n sear for at least 2 years, haha. Cool video man!
I thought I was the only one who takes that long to pull a trigger 😂
It’s probably because in the back of my head I know it won’t make a noticeable difference than just throwing the charcoal on the grate, but I still want a cool bbq gadget 😅
Very thorough and thoughtful.
I was quite interested in the altitudes effects on the air /oxygen
I am at 250 feet above sea level and when I go out to Greece with my micro griller it's always different and also the humidity plays a lesser part
Interesting the Denver altitude is lowering the temp. SNS and volcano are awesome, but in the UK a SNS deluxe is £120~ ($152)!!, and considering a master-touch 5755 model (stainless gbs) is about £300~ ($380) I couldn’t justify SNS, so opting for the baskets at £20 ($25), may get a volcano in the future. Cool vid man thanks.
Great video!!!!! I would just say, add the smoked wood chips first to the bottom and not to cross contaminate with the spices after touching the raw chicken. Other than that, great comparison. i prefer the vortex at home myself
Thumbs up on this video. Very practical and informative. Enjoyed your more recent tri-tip one as well. Thanks for sharing the knowledge and experience.
Thanks for watching!
Good straight forward comparison of the three different methods. I have used the same methods and prefer the vortex for wings. I actually grill more chicken thighs than wings using the vortex and they turn out amazing. The skin on the thighs turn out super crispy !
Arnie Cribb Jr. would you recommend the vortex for leg quarters? I never knew about the vortex before today.
@@BackyardEngineer334 The Vortex (and cheaper knockoffs on eBay and Amazon) is probably the single best addition you can make to a Weber kettle. The Slow and Sear is heavily marketed, heavily hyped, overpriced, and unnecessary IMHO. And he could have turned the basket cook into a "Slow and Sear" style cook by merely placing BOTH baskets (fitted together) on one side of the bowl. The resuls would have been just like the Slow and Sear at a tenth of the cost.
Great BBQ demonstration 👍🏻
Thank you!
Just bought a vortex so I will do a batch the ones you did looked crispy
Have you done wings yet? How’d it go?
Very straight forward
Cool test, don't know how I missed this video.
Thank you!!!!
I've noticed the same thing about the charcoal heat down in Texas. Half basket makes the grill hotter than a full basket.
Are you using lump or briquettes? I’m starting to think that since lump burns hotter it sucks up a lot more oxygen than briquettes do. If you rub half a chimney of lump it can burn at 100% of its potential, but if you use too much you just have more charcoal burning at lower temp since you’ve exceeded the amount of oxygen available for max burn/temps.
@@thekettlecookers I use Kingsford pro briquettes which burn hotter than regular blue bag. I suspect it'd be the same effect with lump
could you put the charcoal baskets together in the middle to mimic a vortex?
Absolutely. If I redid this video that is exactly what I'd do. You get similar results but not as good as the vortex.
I did this and it took a while longer to heat up. It hit around 515 degrees and held it for about 30-45 minutes tops. Wings came out crispy but a little dry (cooking time was bad). My Vortex came in yesterday so I’ll be giving it a shot soon! You can also combine the two baskets to mimic a Slow n Sear (Vids on this).
josekp23 awesome guys, thx!
@@josekp23 Sorry to bring up a years old comment. What was your experience? Did the Vortex seem marginally better or noticeably different?
Very helpful.great presentation ty
Badass video man, keep them coming!
Thank you! Just posted a new video today and should have more coming out on a regular basis.
Excellent video, well thought out comparison. Gives me hope for my elevation.
Love the Caribbean!! I have one just like it 🥑
Cool looking grills aren’t they!!!
@@thekettlecookers
Yep!
I also have a Chief and a Gourmet 😎
Great comparison. Very balanced approach. Very helpful.
Thank you!!! Trying to use different setups so anyone can do the cook.
TheKettleCookers I really liked that it explained both how to do it and the benefits of each method. Have all 3 types of basket so encouraged to try the variations. Looking forward to more of your cooks. ☘️
Thank you! Now if I could just get some good weather during daylight hours to shoot more videos!! 😂🤣😂.
TheKettleCookers wish you luck 🍀 -2c ❄️❄️up these Glens in NI.
You got a love any type of wing showdown. Nice video.
Thank you!
You *don't* do something in this video that I really appreciate, and that something is irritatingly much too common these days: you don't pad your video to increase length. I really appreciated your directness: you describe what you're doing in each step only to the extent needed. Too many people elaborate WAY too much on topics that don't need it (I don't need to be told how to strike a match or use a lighter, both things I've seen in videos lately). Secondly, I also appreciated your inclusion of the Weber baskets and mentioning the technique of putting charcoal on either side to create indirect heat. While I love accessories that make life easier and help my grilling & smoking/BBQ, there are almost always very inexpensive or free alternative techniques that can be used instead; to me, including that info indicates integrity & honesty. Again, the accessories are great and based on your video and my own research, I think I'm buying the vortex and grate you used with it.
Thank you. I really try not to have fluff in my videos if I can avoid it. I really liked the idea of doing the cook in this video using multiple accessories without making a judgement on them as to which is best. I did the cook and showed the process and end results so the viewer can decide which options to go with based on what they have available, ability to buy accessories or use what they have, etc.. I really appreciate your feedback. Hopefully I’ll be getting some new videos going soon.
Thanks for the link
I was thinking of the grate with the hole in the middle for the vortex
It’s a great match with the vortex. Just be carful not to drop food into the bottom of the grill where the handles are! 😂🤣😂
I’m at 7K ft in Wyoming. Keep the high altitude tips coming!
Oh so now your higher than me? Lol. It’s interesting adapting to altitude.
I usually cook my wings to a temp of 175-180 min so they come out more tender if cooking indirect, and I use cherry wood with pretty good results
Just getting my first Weber and loving all the info. What is the difference in application of the two small Weber half baskets and the Slow and Sear?
The theory behind the baskets is being able to setup indirect heat and have the heat source on both sides. Slow N Sear is similar but the heat source is on one side. Kettles circulate air good enough to not really need the heat source on both sides.
Watch the video on the guy that takes two charcoal baskets and makes a slow and sear for less money works just the same
Great video, subscribed & liked immediately. I like your presentation style. Just got a vortex & was curious about how to use it. I have the slow & Sear and have difficulty maintaining temp. I live in the Berkshires, but the altitude isn't nearly as high as yours, so I don't think that's the problem. I like your tip about too much charcoal, I'll try cutting back. Thanks
When we were talking about the vortex, I should’ve mentioned the grate getting damaged, not the dome😂I remembered people complaining about it causing damage in the groups. Just couldn’t remember what it damaged. Was that your mic cover that I saw fall on the chicken?😂Great comparison, now I want some crispy wings, thanks for sharing😃
Omg yes, my mic cover totally fell right into the chicken pan. I figured I’d leave it to see who is paying attention. As far as grate damage the stock and basic hinged grate (non GBS) do get damaged by the vortex. The stainless grate that comes with the 26” Weber does not. The ABC EasySpin grate holds up just fine as well. It’s the plated grates that have an issue.
Me and my African American neighbours love chicken wings.
I'm looking into a Vortex. I have a SNS and have great results. I do think you may get a bit of a burn with the wings closest to the SNS where as the vortex producing heat from the middle evenly distributes the heat. I also think have much more cooking area (evenly heated cooking area) with a Vortex. I think theres no comparison if you are cooking a large amount a wings. I'd be interested in your thoughts. This is a very nice comparison vid for the three methods.
I think what you are saying sounds right. I think if you were doing multiple rows of wings with the SNS you might swap the row closest to the SNS with a middle row in the middle of the cook. The middle rows will get less heat than the rows closest to the SNS and closest to edge of the kettle.
Great review of the different methods. Thanks for posting!! 👍🏻
GREAT video!!! Very informative. Thank you so much
that sprayer is cool
Great video! Enjoyed the tips
Hi buddy. New subscriber here. Love the comparison of this video and showing us how to cook using 3 different methods for those that may have the 3 different styles of baskets. On to check out your other videos. Cheers
Thank you! Weather and real life has gotten in the way of doing new videos but there should be some coming soon. I think I'll try to stick with multiple cooking methods/accessories as best I can. Thanks again for stopping by!
Great video. I only have charcoal baskets and my wings are really really good. Im getting the vortex soon .
Thank you. You can do wings fine without the vortex but the vortex makes it easier a little faster and more consistent. Make sure you get a medium vortex if you are looking to do really hot cooks like wings. The small works great but doesn’t get as hot as the medium.
Im with you on less charcoal is better for hot cooks here in denver. Nice comparison
Thanks Lyle! Discovered it by mistake a month or so ago. Need to play around with it a little more to get maximum heat dialed in a little better.
I just ordered a Vortex today. Can’t wait to try it in my new Weber for wings and thighs! Great video. 👍🏻
Thanks! I think you are going to love your vortex! If you want crispy wings just make sure to cook the skin texture not internal temp. They will be well over 165 once the skin is crispy.
Fantastic. Just the video I needed. Thank you.
Isn't the slow and sear basically a bigger Weber basket? How did the temp hold better using that than the two basket's
I think to hit higher temperatures at your altitude you need a way of forcing more air into the fire. I don't know if anyone makes a fan for Weber grills. I have seen them for kamado grills.
Cracking my lid just a little bit does the trick. For slow and low I have to use about a third more charcoal.
I love(d) the vortex, but am now replacing the one-touch cleaning system. The vortex can run the kettle so hot (dome 600-650F using lump, great for wings and sliders indirect), the sweeping vanes warp, destroying not only cleaning ability, but also any temp control for slower BBQ cooks. My second time having to do this, previously without the vortex running the kettle at 700-800F using Kingsford and hardwood, making pizzas. The replacement kit costs about $20, but the old unit is a pain to remove, so be warned.
My jumbo Joe bottom damper broke from the heat as well.
Great comparison. Vortex is the way to go. To ensure crispy skin add a half of teaspoon of baking powder (no aluminum)
Half of tsp to rub
I've done that and thought it ended up with a gritty texture. My wings come out crispy anyway though.
good cook!
Was cool to see the different methods and the results
can't seem to find that grate in a 26" size
Thank you. I judged added a link to the 26” EasySpin Grate in the description for you!
I think it's easier to load and manage wings with the parallel baskets cooking in the middle section.
It sounded like the SNS and Vortex was about even, but it would've been nice if you actually gave the a ranking of the three... even if it was close. Given the cost of the SNS... I would think the Vortex would be the better choice (since it's cheaper than the SNS).
Good video. Love kettle cookin but still learning the tricks. Like your collection of grills. New sub!😁
George Goddard thanks!!!! Anything you’d like to see me do next to help you out?
TheKettleCookers just use them grills brother! I like to grill and eat!👍
Kinda partial to chicken thighs on the grill but everyone knows how to do that
Where did you find the thermometer that goes to 1000 degrees for the Weber kettle ? Wings look great ....got the vortex a while back ...does great 👍
Thanks! I got it from Tel-Tru directly from their website.
Nice comparison video.. Thank for sharing this with us. New sub and rang that bell.
Thank you!
Would placing your weber chimney in the middle of the bottom rack and then placing the top rack over it yield similar results?
I’m not sure that would work. You’d have to rely on the grate balancing in the chimney and I’m not sure if the lid would fit on. The angled metal of the vortex puts off a lot of radiant heat that is angled towards the bottom of the cooking grate which is why I don’t need to flip wings. The chimney wouldn’t do that. But hey, give it a try and see how it works. A grate over a chimney works great for searing!
Weber should just make a big charcoal basket the size of the slow and sear.
Little late here but there is an easy mod to the weber baskets. It's called a Bro-n-Sear. Basically you take them apart and join them together with a couple of screws. Do a search on it and you will find plenty of videos.
Great comparison video man! Believe it or not I still don’t own a SNS yet. I still use two bricks! But I’ve done wings both with the baskets on either side and with the vortex. Aside from the insane heat levels the vortex produces what I like most about it is the capacity it creates. You can do a lot of wings with that thing.
Of course running baskets on either side creates just the opposite situation, verity very little room in the middle. I do that for turkey wings or “kettle-fried” wings where I want the “Kentucky-fried” thing happening.
Very informative video brother! Looking forward to watching more of your stuff.
Wow, great video! Also, thanks for the half chimney charcoal trick, I also live in Denver and can't wait to try this next time!
Thanks! It weird the way the lack of oxygen affects cooks. At lower altitude I always used a full load of charcoal. That just doesn’t work here.
@@thekettlecookers Lol, it is weird, you wouldn't think it would have such a profound impact as it does.
Have you ever tried both killer hog rubs? The AP seasoning plus the BBQ rub?
That's a great combo!
Brilliant, smart highlander
great video! thumbs up!
What if you were to drill a few more holes for air flow that you could just plug with a simple screw or bolt or magnetic sheet?
Great video about wings on the kettle. But the heat from the vortex is not going to harm the grate. Unless weber didn’t use the right welding material, and I doubt that.
I don’t understand why you had to add unlit charcoal. You had way to much charcoal for a 45 minute cook, IMO
Great video! Greetings from Parker, CO
Thank you neighbor!
Trying to figure out wht you need more burn time for wings cooking under 60 minutes? But still appreciate the comparison
Did we ever get a winner? My favorite to win going in was the vortex but it sounded as if the slow n sear had the better wings.
Vortex and SNS were close. I’ll use my vortex everyone when it’s available. SNS works great though.
Cool video, Thanks for the tips!
Thank you!
Thanks for the video. Great comparison and looks like my future method for cooking wings. Can't wait to try it.
Thank you!!! Good luck with your wing cook!
Killer wing review, my man. Thanks!