DIY Konro

Like many backyard cooks, we use a combination of gas (for convenience) and charcoal (for flavor) grills throughout the outdoor-cooking seasons. But what’s been missing from our repertoire is a grill that can deliver the intense heat we need to properly sear steaks, chops, and burgers, or to quickly char vegetables. Most gas grills can’t get hot enough, and most charcoal grills put so much distance between fire and food that we waste a lot of fuel when we need to turn up the heat.

After researching every style of grill that might suit our needs, we found one design that allows for flexible heat management, ease of use, and compatibility with a variety of cooking hardware, including our own No.10 Field Skillet: the konro, a Japanese grill designed for kushiyaki (skewer-based cooking). After experimenting with various materials and designs, we landed on a simple, DIY grill made from standard fire bricks. Mortar-free construction means the grill can be assembled (or taken apart) in a minute or two, and when paired with a wire grate, skewers, and a Field Skillet, it will become your favorite new piece of outdoor cooking equipment—and one that you proudly say you built yourself.

While we own every style of grill you can imagine (and assume you might as well), we find ourselves using our konro day after day, thanks to its ease of use, superior heat delivery, and endless customization. We hope you’ll download our free plans to make your own konro, and let us know how you use your konro by tagging us on Instagram (@fieldcompany).

• Base: at least 24 by 20 inches (see “Materials”)
• External dimension (footprint): 22½ by 14 inches
• Internal dimensions (cooking area): 18 by 9 inches

To build your konro, you’ll need the following:

• Bricks: 26 standard-size (4½-by-9-by-2½ inches) fire bricks (aka kiln bricks or refractory bricks), which you can find at most masonry, fireplace, or refractory suppliers, as well as some home-building stores. No mortar or other adhesive is necessary. Other types of bricks will work as well, but you run the risk of them breaking apart with use.
• Base: something sturdy and heat-resistant that can handle the heat and weight of the konro (which is around 200 pounds), such as a sheet of plywood or cement pavers. Plastic or painted tabletops are not recommended. The size of your base needs to be at least 24 inches by 20 inches.

To get the most out of your DIY konro, we recommend sourcing the following hardware:

• A heat-resistant wire baking/cooling rack, grill grate, or a grill topper that will rest on top of the konro. Our recommended rack, made by Vollrath, measures 16 ½ by 11 ¾ inches and is made from heavy-duty stainless steel.
• Metal skewers, which can be placed directly across the top of the grill or set on top of a wire rack or grill grate. If using skewers without a rack/grate, they should be at least 13 inches long. Our recommended skewers, made by Norpro, are made from stainless steel and measure 14 inches long.
• A No.10 Field Skillet, which can be placed directly on top of the grill or set on top of a wire rack or grill grate.