Playing around with the Vortex - Reverse Sear Tri Tip

[KevinJ]

First time using the Vortex decided to see how a reverse sear Tri Tip would workout.

Filled up the Vortex with Weber Briquettes and lit a starter cube to get the party started.

Gave it 20 minutes and put a chunk of Hickory that was leftover from the last cook and a fresh chunk on for smoke. The Weber Briquettes burn really clean even before they start to ash over, they also seem to burn a lot slower than other charcoal I'm used to using.

Gave the Tri Tip a little Olive Oil massage and seasoned it with BPS Double Secret Steak Seasoning.

Was planning on putting the Tri Tip on when the grill hit 225 and let it slowly climb to 275-300 and leave it on until the IT hit 115. That didn't workout for me, I closed the lid to check the cooking temp when the coals were just starting to ash over it was about 120 so I took the lid back off and gave it 10 more minutes, in 10 checked the cooking temp again and it was 378. :shocked:

Throttled the bottom vent back and left the top vent 2/3rds open, temp came down to 350 and cruised from there. Only took 35 minutes for the IT to hit 115, pulled it and let it rest while I opened the bottom vent and left the lid off.

Figured I'd give each side about a 2 minute sear, wrong, the Vortex was so hot the Tri Tip got 30 to 45 seconds per side :shocked:
Put it back over to the other side of the grill for 5 minutes and poked it with the Thermapen, center was at 128 so I pulled to let it rest.

Next time I try a reverse sear I will not fill the Vortex up with charcoal, probably go 2/3rds giving myself a good 3" between the charcoal and grate. Turned out fine had a little more char than I wanted and the cook certainly didn't go as planned, live and learn.

 

[Smoking Piney]

Nice! :-D

The Vortex rocks!

 

[jsperk]

Fine looking cook.

 

[KORND4WG X]

Whoa that looks all around perfect. Sear and doneness are spot on :clap2:

 

[cowgirl]

Looks excellent Kevin! Cooked to perfection too. Well done Sir!

 

[tom b]

looks good to me Kevin, I have similar stories....

 

[Happy Hapgood]

Just BAM!

 

[ssv3]

Nothing wrong with that Kevin.

Some personal notes and things I've learned along the way:

1. Vortex works best with lump charcoal

2. Thermapen's flaw is it's accuracy. It reads perfect temps at the exact location the tip sensor lands in. That can be misleading if you probe the wrong spot(s) if I make sense.

 

[DubfromGA]

I love the Vortex for steaks cooked that way.


You can always position the Vortex off-center and leave the top lid vent directly over it.

Put the steak on the lower grate as far from the Vortex as possible and it'll come up to temp a little more slowly.

Once you remove the lid the Vortex will go inferno quickly and assure you a great final hot finish when the steak is directly over it.

 

[DubfromGA]

Also, I'd like to add.....it sure is nice seeing folks from Florida back in their element and enjoying some grilling.

Good times ahead.

 

[KevinJ]

Nothing wrong with that Kevin.

Some personal notes and things I've learned along the way:

1. Vortex works best with lump charcoal

2. Thermapen's flaw is it's accuracy. It reads perfect temps at the exact location the tip sensor lands in. That can be misleading if you probe the wrong spot(s) if I make sense.

I'll give Lump a try next cook, have a bag of RO Lump in the garage.

I love the Vortex for steaks cooked that way.


You can always position the Vortex off-center and leave the top lid vent directly over it.

Put the steak on the lower grate as far from the Vortex as possible and it'll come up to temp a little more slowly.

Once you remove the lid the Vortex will go inferno quickly and assure you a great final hot finish when the steak is directly over it.

Thanks, I did move the Vortex off center for the cook.

Also, I'd like to add.....it sure is nice seeing folks from Florida back in their element and enjoying some grilling.

Good times ahead.

We were lucky here in Pensacola, my hardships were worrying about what Irma would do if she got in the Gulf and putting everything on the patio in the garage, winds were lighter than expected here and we had light rain for one afternoon. It is good to see people that were affected getting back to their normal lives.

 

[zmhill]

Man, I miss living in P'cola. I'd move back in a heartbeat if the job market for my industry had much of a presence there.

Sent from my VS987 using Tapatalk

 

[greenmountainsmoke]

Love the Vortex. So versatile. Did take a few cooks to get used to, but use it often. Play around with it (ie placement in the cooker, orientation, charcoal placement, etc) and you will find it opens you up to more and more options.

 

[BillN]

Looks perfect to me Kevin, nicely done, now I got to go wipe off my chin.

 

[KevinJ]

Looks perfect to me Kevin, nicely done, now I got to go wipe off my chin.

Thanks Bill, if you can't cook yet I could try and convince my wife I need to go throw a few splits for you on the LSG and we could make a road trip up to the SoCal Bash, I'm not sure she would go for it but I'm willing to throw it out there. :grin:

She did tell me earlier this year if I go out to Cali I'd have better be surfing so we would have to make a stop in San Onofre, Newport Beach and possibly Huntington Beach on our way up. :grin:

 

[pz]

Wow that looks tender and juicy

 

[DubfromGA]

I'll give Lump a try next cook, have a bag of RO Lump in the garage.

Thanks, I did move the Vortex off center for the cook.

We were lucky here in Pensacola, my hardships were worrying about what Irma would do if she got in the Gulf and putting everything on the patio in the garage, winds were lighter than expected here and we had light rain for one afternoon. It is good to see people that were affected getting back to their normal lives.

Also try putting the steak down on the lower rack....same rack the Vortex is sitting on.....the charcoal grate.


The seasoning on that steak looked tasty.

 

[ShadowDriver]

Nice grub, brother.

Some thoughts - mostly unsolicited - Apologies.

I just cooked the 2nd half of a delmonico steak from the bargain bin with my Vortex.
- I fueled it up only about 1/2 way with lump... have also had pretty good results with KBB, when required - with a medium Vortex in my Weber 22. Takes about 20-30 minutes to get up to temp after hitting it with a garden torch.
- I moved the Vortex far to one side and put the steak on the other side, to control indirect heat as best I could... ended up scooching (that's a technical term) the steak over on other side to the edge of the top opening so it'd get some nice heat, but not direct.
- I, too, use about a 30 second sear over the top of the Vortex... right at the end.

Keep using it. You're really going to like it.

 

[KevinJ]

Nice grub, brother.

Some thoughts - mostly unsolicited - Apologies.

I just cooked the 2nd half of a delmonico steak from the bargain bin with my Vortex.
- I fueled it up only about 1/2 way with lump... have also had pretty good results with KBB, when required - with a medium Vortex in my Weber 22. Takes about 20-30 minutes to get up to temp after hitting it with a garden torch.
- I moved the Vortex far to one side and put the steak on the other side, to control indirect heat as best I could... ended up scooching (that's a technical term) the steak over on other side to the edge of the top opening so it'd get some nice heat, but not direct.
- I, too, use about a 30 second sear over the top of the Vortex... right at the end.

Keep using it. You're really going to like it.

Thanks for the tips Marc and I'll start working on my scooching technique. :wink:

 

[KevinJ]

Also try putting the steak down on the lower rack....same rack the Vortex is sitting on.....the charcoal grate.


The seasoning on that steak looked tasty.

Never thought about doing a cook on the charcoal grate, thanks. First time using the BPS Double Secret Steak Seasoning, it's a winner.