Southern Fried Catfish

Southern Fried Catfish is easy to make and this restaurant-quality recipe won’t disappoint! You’ll love this 3-step, 7-ingredient recipe and it’s ready in less than 20-minutes! The crispy fish coating contains no egg or flour so if you’re on a gluten-free diet, this fish is for you! Tartar sauce recipe included!

Ingredients

The batter and seasonings for Southern catfish fillets are: buttermilk, cornmeal, frying oil (use a high heat oil like canola, vegetable or peanut oil), cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, a little fresh lemon juice or a splash of Louisiana Hot Sauce for finishing touches. Note, this catfish batter recipe contains no egg and no flour – just cornmeal and seasonings! How simple is that?

How to make crispy fried catfish

Simple, 3-step recipe that’s proven time and time again to work! I think you’ll find this simple method results in the best catfish breading – light, crispy and flavorful! First, soak the fish filets in buttermilk; then dredge them through a seasoned cornmeal mixture and place in a piping hot skillet with frying oil.

Here’s a visual overview; see recipe card below for details.

If you thought frying fish was an all-day event, you are wrong! I use a 10″inch cast-iron skillet and cook two fillets at a time.

Serve individually or on a platter! Complete your fish dinner with some of these favorite Southern side dishes!

Expert Tips

Frying fish isn’t hard, but requires a little practice and expertise.  Here are tips to help your catfish turn out superb!

• Type of frying pan – I recommend using a cast-iron skillet or a tall stock pot or Dutch oven so when you flip the catfish fillet, it doesn’t splatter all over.

• Type of oil- This is important and key to this recipe. Use a high-heat oil: either canola, vegetable, walnut, grapeseed or peanut. Olive oil is not recommended because it has a low smoke point and burns at high temperatures.

• Temperature- This is the most common challenge for homemade fried fish. For restaurant-quality fried catfish at home, the oil has to be hot enough, but not quite to the smoking point.Restaurants fry at 350ºF, but that’s too hot for me, so at home, I fry fish around 312-325ºF

The best way to determine if it’s hot enough for frying is to use a good thermometer. Another good way to determine if it’s is hot enough (or too hot) is to sprinkle a little cornmeal in it. If it sizzles, it’s hot enough. If it doesn’t sizzle, raise the temperature and re-test.

Catfish frying tips and how to keep the batter from falling off

• Fry the catfish fillets in batches, usually one or two fillets at a time.
• Once the fillet is placed in the pan DON’T TOUCH IT for at least 3 minutes. As tempting as it may be to turn it–don’t. Three minutes allows the bottom side of the fillet to cook and become firm. Once the bottom is a light golden brown, flip the fillet.
• After flipping the fillet, let it cook for another 3 minutes… again, DON’T TOUCH IT.
• Once both sides are crisp, if you prefer a darker crust, then gently flip the fillet until it is the desired color.
• Place cooked fillets on a paper towel to drain, then place them in a 200ºF oven uncovered. (When covered with foil, they get mushy and all your patience is in vain.)
• The first batch always turns out lighter than the others because the oil is fresh. If the darker color bother you, start over with new oil for each batch

What sides to serve with fried catfish dinner

If you’re wondering what to serve with fried catfish, here are some delicious sides that are quick and easy to make.

Coleslaw always goes well, as does Smothered Okra and Tomatoes, Maple Baked Beans, Pinto Beans and Rice and a heapin’ bowl of Southern collard greens! Or, you might like a bowl of New England Clam Chowder! 

Storage

Wrap in foil and store for up to 3 days in the refrigerator. Freezing is not recommended.

Make in advance and reheating

Wrap the cooked and cooled catfish fillets in foil and refrigerate. Make sure the fillets are cooled before wrapping them in the foil, otherwise, they’ll get soggy in the fridge. When you’re ready to serve, remove the foil and place fillets on baking sheet in a 450ºF oven for about 15-minutes.

Why do I need to soak the catfish in buttermilk?

Soaking fish in buttermilk is a method for minimizing the “fishy” smell. Catfish are bottom-feeders, meaning they swim on the bottom of the lake or reservoir floor.

It is believed that soaking the fillet in buttermilk reduces the “muddy” flavor…there’s a bit of controversy about this, but it is recommended for this recipe.

More Southern recipes:

• Smothered Okra and Tomatoes
• Cream Style Corn
• How to make Southern Sweet Tea
• No Mayo Coleslaw
• No Beer Fish ‘n Chips
• How to Season and Cook Purple Hull Peas
• Creamy Creole Coleslaw
• Louisiana Remoulade Sauce
• What to serve with Fried Catfish 
• Fried Oysters
• Pan Fried Trout with Smokehouse Almonds
• Fried Okra