Air drying is very difficult, unless you're in a sunny, hot, dry climate. You run the risk of spoilage.
You can use an oven at a very low setting. I'm not sure if a lot of ovens can get down to around or below 93°C.
I have an Excalibur dehydrator that works well, and is large enough to make a decent batch so the effort isn't annoyingly piecemeal.
Basic recipes are usually salty, and also semi-sweet. Both sugar and salt are preservatives.
I've used soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, and just a salty brine as a base.
I'll see if I can find my recipes in a bit.
