Welcome to SMF!
I too run a SV24 and it is an excellent propane fired smoker.
You can look at the link at the bottom of my post and see my recipes thread everything in there that's smoked was done on the SV24.
You will get excellent smoke flavor and smoke ring in your meats.
You really didn't need a door gasket, but it's okay.
More than enough smoke even when running perfect thin blue smoke that what little escapes is a non issue.
Run it with all vents wide open for best smoke production. The airflow being pulled through it help stay wood chunks stay lit and burn clean.
Burn chunks, not chips or pellets.
Dump the pellets and burn chunks.
from deck of cards to fist sized do well. Two chunks it's usually more than enough to start out with, If your cook goes on long enough you may replace or add one at a time. Often your smoke will seem to disappear even though it's still there, if you want a little more just take a tool and move the chunks of wood around a little.
Start your burner on med-high to high to ignite wood into a smoldering state, not aflame. Then lower burner to attain desired temp range.
Don't fight it to hold a steady temp, stay in a range, e.g. 225°-250° or 275°-300°... Don't get caught up chasing a temp.
The burner control is generally pretty delicate, as in it takes very small adjustments to change the flame size and thus temps... You'll get used to it quickly.
The burner is susceptible to high or Gusty wind and may get blown out. You may want to close in three sides on the bottom with sheet metal or plywood if you live in a windy area.
Definitely get a Good digital thermometer with at least one air temp probe and one meat probe, two or three meat probes is even better.
Use the air temp probe to to not only monitor cooking temps but to learn where the hot and cool spots are in your smoker.
It will also help you find your temp range and learn how high you want the flame on your burner for those ranges.
After a while you'll be able to look at your flame and guesstimate pretty well what your temp range will be.
Also get a quality handheld instant read digital thermometer for spot checking temps and probing for tenderness to ascertain readiness of many meats.
The water pan, use it with water in it not sand.
Unless perhaps if you live in an area where the winter gets very cold and then it may help maintain temps when you have to open the smoker to check food.
But in general use it with water it helps maintain humidity and is beneficial to getting good smoke flavor and keeping some food from drying out.
To get a steady temp range quicker, fill your pan with hot water from the tap so you don't have to raise its temp so far.
Maintain the water level or you will get a big heat spike If allowed to fully evaporate.
Maintain the SV24 and it will last you for many years.
Go on
Amazon and buy an extra regular rack and an extra jerky rack.
If you plan on cooking lots of ribs for large groups get yourself a rib rack too.
If I missed anything or you have more questions feel free to ask in this thread.
Please don't PM me questions as I prefer to share information in open forum so other people can learn too.
Again welcome to SMF!
P.S.
Thank God for Talk to Text.
