Country Fried Catfish Recipes

SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix buttermilk, water, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture into a flat pan large enough to hold the fillets. Spread fish in one layer over bottom of pan, turning to coat each side, and set aside to marinate.
• In a 2 gallon resealable plastic bag, combine the cornmeal, flour, and seafood seasoning. Add fish to mixture, a few fillets at a time, and tumble gently to coat evenly.
• Heat oil in deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
• Deep fry fillets until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Avoid overcrowding so fillets have room to brown properly. Fish should be slightly crisp outside, and moist and flaky inside. Drain on paper towels.

CLASSIC FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce.
• Place catfish in a single layer in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish; pour buttermilk mixture over fish. Cover and chill 8 hours, turning once.
• Combine cornmeal and next 6 ingredients in a shallow dish.
• Let fish stand at room temperature 10 minutes. Remove from buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge fish in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess.
• Pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a large, deep cast-iron or heavy-duty skillet; heat to 360°F.
• Fry fish, in batches, 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Transfer to a wire rack on a paper towel-lined jelly-roll pan. Keep warm in a 225°F oven until ready to serve.

SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Heat the peanut oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Adjust the heat to maintain the temperature.
• Whisk the cornmeal and flour together in a shallow dish. Combine the seafood seasoning, kosher salt, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl. Season the catfish fillets evenly on both sides with the spice mixture. Pour the buttermilk into another shallow dish. Dip each fillet into the buttermilk, flip once to coat both sides, hold over the pan and allow the excess to drip off. Coat both sides of the fillets in the cornmeal mixture. Set the coated fillets on a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Gently add the fillets, 2 at a time, to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the fried fillets to a cooling rack set over a newspaper-lined half sheet pan. Repeat method with remaining fillets. Arrange the catfish on a serving platter and serve immediately.

COUNTRY FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Heat oil in a 10 inch cast iron skillet to 350°F.
• Combine all (DRY) ingredients in a large bowl.
• Dip cat fish in cold water, then coat with Dry mix.
• Place Cat fish in hot oil carefully not to burn your self, (do not over crowd fish).
• Fry till golden brown (about 5 to 10 minutes), remove to drain on paper towels.
• Serve with TarTar sauce and lemon wedges on the side.
• Suggested side dishes, Fried Potatoes& Onions,and Golden Hominy and Hush Puppies.

JUSTIN WILSON'S FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Soak fish in milk Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly in a bowl or bag.
• Roll the fish in dry ingredients Fry in hot cooking oil deep enough to float the fish.
• (Be sure grease or oil is not too hot, about 350 degrees).

RESTAURANT-STYLE FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Place the catfish fillets in a single layer in a shallow dish (you may slice the fillets in half lengthwise if desired or leave whole).
• Cover the fillets completely with milk.
• Cover and chill for about 1-1/2 hours.
• In a shallow bowl combine the cornmeal with seasoned salt, black pepper, cayenne, onion powder and garlic powder.
• Remove the catfish from refrigerator and allow to stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
• Remove all the milk from the pan and allowing all the milk to drip off the fillets.
• Sprinkle the fillets very lightly with salt (using about 1 teaspoon for all of the fillets).
• Coat lightly with cornmeal mixture.
• Pour the oil to a depth of about 1-1/2 inches in a cast-iron or heavy skillet.
• Heat oil to 350°F.
• Fry the fish in batches about 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden.
• Drain on wire racks over paper towels.
• Serve with tartar sauce and lemon wedges.

COUNTRY FRIED CHESAPEAKE CATFISH WITH JALAPEñO-MINT AIOLI

Steps:

• Make the aioli: Heat a small sauté pan over high heat. Add the butter and olive oil to the pan and immediately add the jalapeños and 4 of the garlic cloves. Cook for about 3 to 5 minutes or until the jalapeños are nicely charred. Let cool to room temperature. Transfer to a food processor and add the remaining garlic clove, lemon juice and mayonnaise. Pulse until combined. (Don't worry if it isn't smooth.) Scrape down the sides of the food processor bowl, add the mint and season with salt and pepper. Pulse until well combined and chill. You can use it right away, but it will get better after a few hours.
• Prepare the catfish: In a shallow casserole dish, mix the flour, cornmeal, smoked paprika, onion powder, salt and pepper. Pour the buttermilk into a separate casserole dish.
• Pat catfish fillets dry, and using a very sharp chef's knife, slice them horizontally into 2 thinner fillets, about 1/2-inch thick.
• Pour the oil into a 12- to 14-inch skillet, preferably cast iron, and heat over medium heat until the oil is hot but not smoking. While it is heating, dip the catfish into the buttermilk, then lift out and shake off the excess liquid. Transfer the catfish sheets onto the dredge and press firmly on both sides.
• To test the oil, add a small piece of fish to the pan; if it bubbles immediately, the oil is ready. After dredging each fillet, add it to the pan, cooking as many as will comfortable fit into the pan at one time. Cook for about 4 minutes until the edges are golden brown, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes or until cooked through. Immediately transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with remaining catfish.
• Transfer 2 catfish pieces to each plate and top each piece with the jalapeño-mint aioli. Serve immediately with lemon on the side.

SOUTHERN-STYLE OVEN-FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C). Grease a 13x9 glass baking dish with the oil, and set aside.
• Rinse the catfish fillets, and pat dry. In a shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, creole seasoning, paprika, sugar, and black pepper. Combine the eggs and hot sauce or water in a another bowl. Dip the fillets in the egg mixture, dredge in the cornmeal mixture, and arrange in the baking pan.
• Bake for 15 minutes, or until cooked through and golden brown. Turn once during cooking. Place catfish on a paper-towel lined plate, and serve immediately with additional hot sauce.