On the other hand, just because the individual packages are too expensive,
it is still a good idea, you just have to do some work yourself.
A dehydrator is around $50.00 and a vaccuum packager is around $100.00 (and
the vaccuum packager is handy for so many other things...I have my parachute
flares, matches and many other items in air tight waterproof packaging).
You can make your own beef jerky, fruit roll-ups, dried fruit, dried
peppers...etc.
I have not tried drying beef cubes and then using them for cooking, but I do
not see why it would not work, cube the beef (lean), soak it in a salt
solution, dry it, bag it (it should last weeks) and just make sure that when
you cook with it you remember that it already has salt added (it's a
preservative).
With no water and no oxygen in the package you should be able to store it at
room temp for days or weeks.
There is a handy little attachment that lets you use wide mouth mason jars
to store things.
If you are a full time live aboard and spend most of your time away from
shore power, this might not be a good alternative, but if your a weekender
or have good access to shore power a little work can save a bundle of money
and in some ways be a fun hobby (homemade beef jerky is almost as fun as
homemade wine, the two together...)
The initail investment is a little high (figure around $300.00) but it is
one of those items that once you start using it you will keep finding more
and more uses for it until you wonder how you ever got along with out it.
Another advantage is that ANYTHING vaccuum packed tends to take up a lot
less space and be easier to store...OK, bread and potatoe chips may not like
the vaccuum packing (pringles?) but you would be surprised at how many other
things do better.
For you regular crusiers, have you ever checked your spare parts store and
found corrosion? Bearings stored in a vaccuum package will not corrode, nor
will electrical componants.

Eric