Categories Seafood Recipes

Southern-style Fried Catfish

This is an easy way to create the kind of crunchy, juicy fillets that you can find in catfish houses throughout the South. I soak my catfish in buttermilk for an hour before frying – it clears out that occasionally “muddy” flavor that freshwater fish can acquire, and adds a tang to the crispy crust.

You will need:

2 c yellow cornmeal
1 c white flour
1/4 c seasoned salt – use a proprietary blend, or make your own using salt, pepper, garlic powder, and cajun seasoning
2 T baking powder
4 catfish fillets
1 lemon
canola oil
a cast iron skillet

1. Heat a couple inches of oil in a cast iron skillet. Test for heat by dropping in a bead of water – it should sputter and scatter across the surface of the oil. If you have a deep-fry thermometer, heat the oil until it reads 350 degrees.

2. Mix the first four ingredients together in a large bowl. Dredge the catfish fillets in the cornmeal mixture, and then shake gently to remove excess coating. Make sure the fillets are completely covered, as it will form a crust once it cooks.

3. Fry the fillets two at a time in the skillet, turning once (carefully, with a spatula) – about 8 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on a wire rack above a drain pan or newspapers. Repeat with the second two fillets.

4. Serve hot with lemon wedges and tartar sauce, or with a spicy mixture of ketchup and horseradish on the side.

I like these with spicy black eyed pea and rice hash and steamed lemon-garlic collard greens. Corn muffins make a great side – try them with cream cheese and jalapeno jelly.

Southern-style Fried Catfish

Lara