If you’re looking for an iconic Southern recipe, you’re going to want to look into crispy fried catfish. It’s such an iconic dish that countless people don’t see any other way to prepare the fish! There is a simple recipe that won’t take too long to make or require too many ingredients – try it!
Tips for the Best Catfish
As with all recipes, this one also has tips to make it even better. For example, if you’re not into soggy fish – don’t fry it in cold oil. Make sure it’s nice and heated, and there’s nothing better than peanut oil, as it adds more flavor. Also, it’s best to use fine, white cornmeal. Add coleslaw or hush puppies and hot sauce on the side, and you’re golden!
Ingredients
As you might have figured out, catfish fillets are the main ingredient for the recipe. From there, grab some buttermilk, salt, fine cornmeal, garlic and black pepper powder, paprika, cayenne, and some celery seeds, and of course, another ingredient you have to make sure you have is oil for the frying process. The best is if you have peanut oil, but whatever oil you usually use is fine.
The First Steps
First, you must ensure the oil is hot enough, so pour it into a pan and heat it. If you want to check the heat, throw some bread in there, and if it sizzles on contact, you know you’ve got the right temperature. Heat the oven while you’re at it, to save some time. While that’s happening, you can dip your catfish fillets generously into the buttermilk.
Finish Up the Process
Once the oil is hot enough to fry the fish and make it crisp and tasty, sprinkle some salt on the fillets for extra tastiness. Mix the cornmeal and spices and dip the fillets until perfectly covered on top and bottom. Do some shaking to remove the excess breading, and place the fillets straight into the pan. Keep the ready fillets in the oven for warmth and crispiness, and prepare the rest of the food to go with it.
Prepare your favorite coleslaw or hush puppies and serve with the catfish. The best part is that this recipe is nutritious in every way. It contains 665 calories, 38 grams of fat, 45 grams of protein, and 34 grams of carbs. This is a perfect fried dish that everyone will enjoy and not feel guilty about eating!