Wow, at 165F I am surprised it gets to 150 that quickly. My #2 seems to take a little longer, doing two 5lbs chunks of belly at a time. I hot smoke at 200.
Apple is kinda mellow, you could try more wood, or go with something more assertive. I use hickory on my bacon.
I have started cold smoking. I have gone up to 6 hours. I'm still learning cold smoke as I go, so some others will definitely have a better detailed explanation.
Is the jerky dryer safe to use at higher temps?