Those dehydrators are good -- better than the oven, in fact because they move air.

As for the salt -- well, you need a bit as a preservative. You don't have to gag on it. I have kept jerky in the freezer for a long, long time, not to prevent spoilage, but to keep it from molding. I jerked damn near an entire deer one time, and IIRC, we had forzen jerky that was great 1 1/2 years down the road.

You have to remember: if you have it dry enough, it will still suck moisture out of the atmosphere, and it will still mold. My living space runs about 40% relative humidity, and I can't keep it out for long. I would prefer that it be not so dry. If it breaks when you try to bend it a little, I think it is too dry.