Advice on Vortex wings

[WaterRat]

Hey All!
I’ll be doing some wings on a brand spanking new Webber 22 with a Vortex tomorrow. Looking for some rub ideas for the wings. I’ve seen lots of just SPG but other thoughts? I’ve got a whole cabinet of rubs (avoiding anything too sugary). I haven’t done a whole lot of wings so any ideas (say “teriyaki”and die though ) are welcome.

I think I’m good with technique having read many posts on this topic. One more question do you like to start your coals in a chimney or does doing it right in the Vortex work ok?

Thanks and have a great weekend!
Aaron

 

[uncle eddie]

Hard to beat SPG and a little smoke...just saying.

BUT - be sure to burn a hot fire in your weber before you smoke the wings. You want to season that puppy first! There are many videos and websites to walk you through this simple process.

 

[BigW.]

I think coals start faster in a chimney. You can start in a vortex if you want. I usually sprinkle them with Jeff's seasoning and onto the grill. I need to try soaking them in pickle juice for a few hours. Another thing I have not tried is baking powder. The last few minutes I'll put them directly over the vortex to make them good and crispy. You will need to watch them and flip constantly so they do not burn.

 

[seenred]

Hey Aaron!

Do you like buffalo wings? My favorite way to do wings is:

Dust the wings with some Tony Chachere Creole seasoning along with a pinch of cayenne for extra heat. Then I'll marinate the wings in a mixture of Tony C's Butter Creole marinade and Frank's red hot wing sauce. I like to marinate at least a couple hours, but overnight is even better.

Then cook them on the kettle - in a circle around the vortex. I'll brush a little more of the marinade mixture on the wings a couple times while they cook.

This is a quicker variation of an old favorite recipe from years ago that we called Scarbelly Wings - in honor of a member who passed several years ago. You can do a search and get some cook threads of that whole technique...but it involved injecting the wings with the marinade - which is kinda time consuming.

Man! Kinda makes me wanta do some buffalo wings lol!
Red

 

[yankee2bbq]

I marinate my wings overnight with Zesty Italian Dressing and Strawberry’s BBQ seasoning.
I light my coals in the vortex.

 

[zwiller]

Pops low salt overnight/cook/dust with fave rub/serve.

 

[JLeonard]

All excellent advice above. I like to start my coals in the chimney, a handful unlit coals in the votex with a chunk of smoking wood in the vortex. Dump the lit coals on top of this. Give it a few minutes and put the wings on.
As far as the wings go....I'll pat the wings dry, season and let them air dry a few hours in the fridge. In the past i'm taken some of the finished wings, dunk them in wing sauce, bbq, or whatever and back on the kettle for about 10 min to set the sauce. Never really had a problem with them not being crispy after the vortex. Run the vents wide open, rotate the lid about every 15 min for an hour.....Waaa laaa....Wings!

Jim

 

[SmokinEdge]

Tapatio makes a “picante” seasoning that is great on wings. Also Frank’s Red Hot makes a seasoning to dust the wings with, that’s real good too.

 

[ecto1]

30 minutes on the weber with the vortex full blast turn and 30 more minutes. KOSMOS Wing Dust is great a little pricy but i really like it.

I start with a chimney and pour into the vortex then add more coals on top when it looks like a jet engine add your wing in a circle around the vortex. This and the flip have to be done fast as the vortex gets hot and you will lose the hair on your fingers.

My buffalo wind sauce is one stick of butter, one 12 oz bottle Louisiana hot sauce, one tablespoon garlic powder.

My kids love it when I skip the bufalo sauce and glaze them with Raspberry Chipotle sauce.

 

[SmokinEdge]

My kids love it when I skip the bufalo sauce and glaze them with Raspberry Chipotle sauce.

Would that be Blue’s Hog?

 

[ecto1]

Would that be Blue’s Hog?

I user Fischer and Wieser it is available at most grocery stores. Also great on cream cheese with Ritz Crackers

 

[jaxgatorz]

All great advice.. Also , the lid handle gets hot !!!! If you forget, it will remind you.

 

[cptnding]

Starting in the vortex works great. It is a chimney. I'll put a tumbleweed or similar in the bottom with a couple handfuls of briquets in the bottom. Once the charcoal is burning just a bit I'll fill it to the top. In about the same time as using a chimney it will resemble a jet engine as mentioned above lol.
A while back I started making a foil "moat" around the outside of the vortex to make cleanup easier and it seems to make the vortex burn hotter. 18" foil works perfect. Two long pieces will do the trick. It's a bit of a pain but to me it's a lot less trouble that cleaning it out otherwise. I'll usually get multiple cooks with it set up that way until I want it for something else. Here's a pic with some single cut ribs.

I haven't had a problem with rubs burning but if you sauce them with something sweet do it at the end and don't walk away. A sugary sauce will burn quick. These days with wings I'll finish them with just a dry rub and toss with sauce after they come off if we want sauce. With single cut ribs I like to sauce them on the grill and maybe 5 minutes they come off. Gave them 15 minutes once and they were ashes.
As for time it really depends on the wings. For regular grocery store "party wings" they will be done done in 30-45 minutes. Big wings from my local butcher are closer to 60.
Also as mentioned above watch that handle on the lid. It gets HOT. And never ever reach across the top of the vortex to flip or sauce. You'll only do it once. Ask me how I know lol.
Enjoy that kettle! In my opinion it's the best all around cooker out there. You can do almost anything (except volume) on one.

 

[SmokingUPnorth]

Sounds like everyone has you covered. But I walkway make sure I rotate the lid every 15 or so minutes you can tell the wings on the side with the vent cook faster! Good luck and post some pics of the cook

 

[gmc2003]

I do whole wings all the time. For prep I use whatever seasoning I feel like that day. Italian works well. Once seasoned let them sit in the fridge uncovered for a few hours.

Firing up the Vortex. I've done it both ways, but using a charcoal starter is a little quicker. Also a Weber starter once ashed over will fill the Vortex about 3/4 full when dumped. I used to add some coals, but have since stopped. It wasn't really needed.

If you have the gourmet grate(removable ctr. section). Then take out the ctr. piece and add your wood directly on the coals. If your using a normal grate then put the wood on top of the grate, and add your wings once wood is smoking.

Saucing your wings. Once they're fully cooked then remove the wings and give them a flip in your favorite sauce. We normally use Franks-n-butter, but I also like teriyaki.

I do flip the wings once just to get some color on the underbelly, and rotate the lid every 10 - 15 minutes.

Avoid surgery rubs and sauces(if you put them back on the grill to tack up). They will burn. As will your arm hairs if you reach across the grate.

My kettle doesn't have a clam-shell under the handle so it does get EXTREMELY HOT!!!. So I use a BBQ glove when lifting it.

It sounds like this is your first cook on your Weber. Since the body is porcelain coated all you need to do is wipe it down with a damp rag. The grate I would wash.

Let us know how it goes.

Chirs

 

[texomakid]

Post pics or it never happened

 

[clifish]

Avoid surgery rubs and sauces(if you put them back on the grill to tack up). They will burn. As will your arm hairs if you reach across the grate.

My kettle doesn't have a clam-shell under the handle so it does get EXTREMELY HOT!!!. So I use a BBQ glove when lifting it.

It sounds like this is your first cook on your Weber. Since the body is porcelain coated all you need to do is wipe it down with a damp rag. The grate I would wash.

Let us know how it goes.

Chirs

I am afraid to ask what surgery rubs are...lol

 

[gmc2003]

I am afraid to ask what surgery rubs are...lol

Don't ask, don't tell. I don't use any sugar in my rubs except for pork shots. Sauces now that a whole different story.

Chris

 

[gmc2003]

Well today is yesterday's tomorrow. So let see the results.

Chris

 

[sawhorseray]

TRY LEGS SOME TIME, SAME DARK MEAT, TWICE AS MUCH FOR ONE THIRD THE PRICE. 35 MINUTES, TOSS IN SAUCE, BACK ON FOR ANOTHER FIVE MINUTES, WORKS. RAY