I'm glad to hear that the brown sugar helped with the saltiness.

As a random aside, my girlfriend always hogs my jerky, so I usually cut up about half a pound worth into smaller pieces (about 1 inch by 1/4 inch by 1/4 inch) just for her because it's easier to snack on.

Another variation you might want to try if you're planning on eating it within a week or so is to dry it out a little more than you normally would, though not to the point that it's rock-hard, and then let it sit for about two days in a plastic bag at room temperature. The small amount of moisture left in it starts to sweat, and it really brings out the flavor in a major way.