I agree completely on the whole muscle jerky being better. Not even in the same ballpark as the ground. I have made the ground stuff as well, and I like it too. The best part about the ground, is you are basically making dried sausage, so you can get more creative with the seasonings.
Wasn't thinking about space when I recommended the frogmats, which are still my first choice, but if you need more space, you might go with something like this.
https://www.amazon.com/Weston-Nonsti.../dp/B0085ISSR6