Fried Catfish Recipe
Crispy, golden Fried Catfish with a flavorful cornmeal crust, quick weeknight dinner with or without buttermilk. Tips, swaps, and step-by-step instructions.
Servings: 4
Cost: $10
Equipment
- deep skillet or dutch oven
- baking sheet with wire rack
- wire spider or slotted spoon
- Instant Read Thermometer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds catfish fillets 4 small or 2 large; cut large fillets in half on a bias
Buttermilk soak:
- 1½ cups buttermilk
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp hot sauce
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Cornmeal dredge:
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne optional
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Peanut Oil peanut, canola, or vegetable, enough for 1½-2 inches in the pan
- Lemon wedges flaky salt for finishing
Instructions
- Whisk the buttermilk, egg, hot sauce, and salt in a shallow dish and add the fish. Flip the fish fillets to coat, cover and refrigerator.
- Whisk the cornmeal, cornstarch, flour, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, pepper, cayenne, and baking powder.
- Lift catfish from the buttermilk mixture and allow the excess to drip off. Press firmly into the cornmeal mix to coat all sides. Set on a wire rack 10-15 minutes to hydrate the coating, this helps it stick to the fish and get crispy.
- Heat the oil to 350˚F (aim to fry between 330–350°F). Working in batches being sure to not crowd the pan. Fry the catfish fillets 3-4 minutes per side (4–6 minutes total) until deep golden and the fish flakes easily (internal temperature should be 145˚F on an instant read thermometer).
- Transfer the fried catfish to the rack and sprinkle with a pinch of salt.
- Serve hot with lemon.
Notes
- Gluten-free option: Swap all-purpose flour for rice flour or a cup for cup gluten-free blend.
- Oil temp matters: Keep oil between 330-350°F; adjust heat between batches.
- Make-ahead: Dredge mix can be whisked together and stored, airtight, for 3 months.
- Reheat like a pro: Air fryer 375°F 4-6 minutes or oven 400°F 8-10 minutes on a rack.
Nutrition
Calories: 513kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 47g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 182mg | Sodium: 1401mg | Potassium: 1239mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 869IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 196mg | Iron: 3mg