Fried Catfish
Servings 4 servings (may vary)
Ingredients
- 2 cups buttermilk See Cook's note
- 1 teaspoon hot sauce
- 1 large egg beaten
- 2 lbs catfish fillets if frozen, thawed
- salt
- 1 ½ cups finely ground yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon seafood seasoning i.e. Old Bay or Seafood Magic
- 1 teaspoon garlic salt OR 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon granulated garlic
- 1 teaspoon lemon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional
- 1 quart peanut oil or vegetable oil for frying
- lemon wedges and Italian parsley for garnishing
Instructions
- In a 13 x 9 inch shallow dish, whisk together buttermilk, hot sauce and egg. Season the catfish fillets, lightly with salt. Add catfish fillets in a single layer, turning to coat. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours OR overnight.
- To prepare: Remove catfish from fridge, let stand in marinade while you prepare the breading.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow bowl whisk together cornmeal, flour, seafood seasoning, garlic salt, lemon pepper and cayenne.
- Remove fillets from marinade, letting excess drip off. Dredge fillets on both sides, pressing breading onto the fillets. Have nearby a pan, repeating until all fillets are bread. Chill to set while you heat the oil. (You can do this up to 30 minutes in advance)
- To fry: Heat oil to 355-365°F. Gently lower fillets into the hot oil, cooking for 2-3 minutes per side or just until golden. (Catfish fillets are thin and cook quickly) Remove from hot oil using a slotted spoon to a paper towel lined pan or platter.
- Serve immediately with a side of tartar sauce and lemon slices garnished with parsley.
Notes
To make your own buttermilk: To each cup of whole milk, add 1 tablespoon white distilled vinegar or lemon juice. Let stand on the counter for 5 minutes, then proceed with the recipe.