Keep the salmon refrigerated while preparing. Mix the brown sugar and weighed salt. Coat the salmon evenly in a nonreactive dish, cover and refrigerate below 38°F (3°C) for 2 hours. Do not reuse this cure.

Remove the fish from the cure and rinse gently under cold water without splashing surrounding surfaces. Discard the cure. Pat the fish dry, place skin-side down on a rack over a tray, and refrigerate uncovered below 38°F (3°C) for about 8 hours, until the surface feels tacky. Keep it away from ready-to-eat foods.

Prepare the smoker according to its instructions with alder or apple wood and indirect heat. Start at about 180°F (82°C). Lightly oil a clean rack, arrange fish with space between pieces, and insert a clean probe into the thickest piece.

Smoke for about 1 hour, then brush with a thin layer of maple syrup and sprinkle with pepper. Raise the smoker gradually to 200–225°F (93–107°C). Brush with the remaining syrup in thin coats about every 30 minutes, keeping the brush and syrup away from raw fish.

Continue until every thick piece reaches at least 160°F (71°C), then hold the fish at or above that internal temperature for 30 minutes. Expect roughly 3–4 hours total cooking, but temperature, thickness and equipment control the timing. If the smoker cannot maintain this, transfer with clean utensils to a 300°F (149°C) oven, bring the fish to 160°F internally and maintain it for 30 minutes, adjusting heat to prevent scorching.

Transfer to a clean plate. Serve promptly or cool in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours. Store below 38°F (3°C), use within 3–4 days and reheat leftovers to 165°F (74°C). Do not store at room temperature or treat this as shelf-stable jerky.