Ground jerky sounds interesting. Haven't tried it yet.
So I assume you mix the spices, etc. into the meat rather than marinate? And it seems like you would need a pretty fine wire mesh to keep the ground strips intact in the smoker?
Yes, mix the spices directly into the meat. Let it set overnight to really infuse the meat.
Yes, a fine wire grate to keep the meat in good form. You can buy the trays at sportsmans for 10-15 bucks for a three pack.