When making jerky from slices of meat, I recommend cutting against the grain. This way, when you bite into the finished product, you actually CAN bite into it. If you cut with the grain, that dried muscle will be very difficult to tear with your teeth - though I actually do know one guy who likes his jerky like that..
If you plan on storing your jerky in a fridge, a cure isn't necessary. You can slice your meat and use almost any type of marinade to make a nice jerky. If you dehydrate the meat without using cure, it will turn brown. When you use cure, it will maintain some of the redness of the meat. Personally, I use cure, but if it's your first batch, experiment and see if you like your results. Just start with a small batch: you don't want 15 lbs of a jerky that you don't like. Whether you use cure or not, finish the jerky for 10 minutes in an oven at 275 - this will ensure the meat has been brought to a temperature to kill any pathogens.
I have an awesome recipe for a
bourbon deer jerky here.
And you can get some more information on
using cures here.
I have always had luck with the commercial jerky cure mixes you can get at any sporting goods store as well, but I find it's more fun to make my own marinade.
I also use a dehydrator for my jerky, so you should be good to go!