Line the baking dish with parchment paper to overlap the sides by 2 inches. Secure with clean binder clips if you have some on hand.
Spray the parchment with a neutral flavored cooking spray.
Heat the sugar, corn syrup, and water in a large, heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Do not stir the mixture, but rather swirl it until it turns brown.
Lightly simmer the heavy cream, unsalted butter, vanilla pod, and 1 teaspoon of smoked salt in a separate pot.
Once the cream mixture is warmed, slowly add it to the sugar mixture. Make sure your candy thermometer is in place. The mixture will bubble quite a bit.
Stir the mixture with a wooden spoon until it reaches 248 degrees F. Anything lower than this temperature will yield soft caramels that will not hold their shape. Take great care not to let the mixture go above 248 degrees.
Pour mixture into the parchment-lined baking dish. Refrigerate caramels until they are completely cooled (about 2 hours).
Remove the cooled sheet of caramel from the pan, and transfer it to a cutting board. Cut the sheet into 1 1/2" pieces and sprinkle with remaining smoked salt. Keep in mind that you can use as little or as much smoked salt as you'd like. You do not need to use the entire 2 teaspoons.
Store leftover caramels in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3 weeks.