Table of Contents
Overview of the Mesa II 415BZ
The Monument Mesa II 415BZ is a four-burner propane grill with 525 square inches of total cooking space and 49,000 BTU of total heat output. It features a dedicated Broil Zone on the right side with two infrared sear burners, a 12,000 BTU side burner, and cast-iron cooking grates.
If you're new to this grill or want to know more about its features and construction, check out my full review of the Monument Mesa II 415BZ on Tools in Action. That article covers everything from assembly to build quality to how it handles extreme weather.
This guide focuses on how to actually cook on the Mesa II 415BZ, how to use the heat zones, when to fire up the Broil Zone, and how to get consistent results every time you grill.
Understanding Your Heat Zones
The Mesa II 415BZ has four burners, and they're not all the same. The two burners on the left deliver 8,500 BTU each, while the two burners on the right (the Broil Zone) deliver 10,000 BTU each. That difference matters when you're cooking.
Think of the left side as your everyday cooking zone. It's where you'll cook chicken, vegetables, fish, or anything that needs steady, moderate heat. The heat is even and predictable, which makes it easy to control your cook.
The right side is your high-heat zone. Those two burners hit 600°F in about five minutes, which is perfect for searing steaks, burgers, or anything else that needs a hard crust. You can also dial them back if you need moderate heat on that side, but their real strength is cranking out serious BTUs.
Understanding which side does what helps you plan your cook. You're not just turning all four burners to the same setting and hoping for the best, you're using the grill's design to your advantage.
Using the Broil Zone for Searing
The Broil Zone is where you get serious heat. Those two sear burners on the right side hit 600°F in about five minutes, which is what you need to create a proper crust on steaks, burgers, or chops.
Here's how I use it: Get the Broil Zone screaming hot before you put anything on it. Let those burners run for a few minutes until the grates are properly heated. Then drop your meat on and leave it alone. Don't move it, don't flip it early, just let it sit and develop that crust.
The segmented control knobs let you fine-tune the heat. If 10,000 BTU per burner is too aggressive for what you're cooking, dial it back a bit. But for a good sear on a steak, crank it up and let it rip.
The thick cast-iron grates hold heat like crazy, so once they're up to temp, they stay hot even when you put cold meat on them. That's what gives you those deep sear marks and keeps the surface from cooling down mid-cook.
Zone Cooking: Different Temps at Once
One of the best things about having four burners is running different temperatures at the same time. You're not stuck cooking everything at one heat level, you can set up zones and move food around as needed.
Here's a common setup I use: crank the Broil Zone on the right for high heat, run the left burners at medium for indirect cooking. Start steaks on the hot side to sear them, then move them to the cooler side to finish without burning the outside.
Same idea works for chicken. Sear it over the Broil Zone to get the skin crispy, then slide it to the left side and close the lid to cook it through without charring it. You're using the grill like an oven with a sear station built in.
Vegetables and burgers can cook simultaneously at different temps. Throw peppers and onions on the left side while you're searing burgers on the right. Everything finishes at the same time, and you're not babysitting multiple heat levels on a single burner.
Getting the Most from the Side Burner
I don't use the side burner as much as the main grill, but when I need it, it's handy to have everything in one location. Instead of running back and forth to the kitchen cooktop, I can handle sauces, sides, or anything else right there while the main grill does its thing.
It's great for keeping baked beans warm, simmering a pot of chili, or heating up a skillet of peppers and onions. The 12,000 BTU output is enough to get decent heat, so you're not waiting forever for water to boil or a pan to come up to temp.
The real benefit is convenience. When you're grilling for a group and trying to time everything to finish at once, having that extra burner right there saves you from juggling multiple cooking locations. Everything stays hot, and you're not leaving the grill unattended to mess with something on the stove inside.
It's one of those features I didn't think I'd use much, but once I had it, I found reasons to fire it up more often than I expected.
Preheating and Temperature Control
Preheating matters. Don't just light the grill and immediately throw food on it. Give the Mesa II 415BZ a few minutes to come up to temperature so the grates are hot and ready to sear and cook.
For most cooks, I'll fire up the burners I plan to use and let them run for about five minutes with the lid closed. This gets the cast-iron grates properly heated and burns off any residue from the last cook. The mechanical thermometer on the lid gives you a rough idea of the overall temp, but I'm more focused on how the grates feel when I hold my hand a few inches above them.
The Broil Zone heats up fast, 600°F in about five minutes. The left burners take a little longer to stabilize, but they're not far behind. Once you're up to temp, adjust the knobs as needed to maintain the heat you want.
Temperature control is straightforward. Turn the knobs up for more heat, down for less. The burners respond quickly, so you're not waiting around for adjustments to take effect. If something's cooking too fast, move it to a cooler zone or dial back the burner underneath it.
Close the lid when you're not actively flipping or checking food. It helps maintain consistent heat and speeds up cooking times.
FAQ
No. Only use the burners you need. If you're cooking a few burgers or chicken breasts, one or two burners is plenty. Save propane and avoid overheating the grill for no reason.
You can dial it back and use it for regular cooking, but its real strength is high-heat searing. The left burners are better for everyday moderate heat.
The mechanical thermometer gives you a rough idea, but I rely more on holding my hand a few inches above the grates. If you can only keep it there for a second or two, the grill is ready for searing.
Final Thoughts
Cooking on the Mesa II 415BZ is straightforward once you understand how to use the heat zones. The left side handles your everyday grilling, the Broil Zone cranks out serious heat for searing, and the side burner gives you a convenient spot for anything else you need to cook.
Preheat properly, use the burners you actually need, and don't overcomplicate it. This grill responds quickly to adjustments, heats evenly, and makes it easy to cook multiple items at different temperatures at the same time.
The cast-iron grates hold heat well and create solid sear marks. The segmented controls on the Broil Zone let you fine-tune the heat. The whole setup is designed to make grilling easier.
If you're new to this grill, spend a few cooks experimenting with the different zones and figuring out what works for how you like to cook. Once you've got the hang of it, the Mesa II 415BZ makes outdoor cooking simple and consistent.
