Make my own jerky on a regular basis. Usually it is venison, but when that is all gone, I do beef. I have also experimented with turkey and salmon - but, umm, let's just say that didn't go over so well, and so, we haven't gone back and don that again...
Some people talk about slicing it thin enough, true. But personally, I like it a little thicker. We don't like shoe leather jerky. We cut it a little thicker, and dry it to the point that it is the consistency somewhere between dried beef and storebought.
I do it in the oven on old refrigerator racks.
And for seasoning, I did my own thing for about 20 years. Then, about 6 years ago I found Hi Mountain Jerky Cure (
http://www.himtnjerky.com/) and available for realy cheap at Cabelas, Gander Mountain, and other such stores - even in a local grocer started carrying it. I can get seasoning for 15 pounds of meat for about $7. What is great about this stuff is that I don't need to put the meat in a smoker - all I need is the oven.
The trick I have found is to let the cure work on the meat long enough. Like I said, I cut the meat a little thicker 1/4 -3/8 inch thick. And when I dry it, I like it with a little flex to it.
I have also found that I can take any of the HiMountain seasonings and jazz it up a bit. My favorite jazz is simply some cayenne pepper sprinkled generously on each piece in the seasoning step, before letting it refrigerate and soak into the meat.