Abstract: A deep fat fryer, especially for potato chips, has a cradle screen with walls and lifting handles and means for supporting the cradle screen at a lower level within the cooking kettle, a cover screen with lifting handles being selectively insertable into the product above the cradle screen for stirring it or placed over the product and resting on the walls of the cradle screen for keeping the product submerged. When the oil is at a lower level, the cradle screen is removed from the kettle after an initial cooking period and inserted into the product for stirring it and is then supported at a higher level over the product for keeping it submerged. The cradle screen walls have an opening to permit scooping of the product into the cradle screen after cooking. The cooking method includes varying the heating rate in order to control the rate of temperature rise of the oil after it drops to its lowest point following loading of the product into the kettle.