I’m kicking off Mississippi Week in my American Eats series with this favorite fish dish from across the South but one that is always a hit in the Magnolia State! You can’t go wrong with a plate of crispy fried catfish, some hush puppies, and coleslaw for a quick and easy dinner! This incredibly popular dish is a huge favorite in the Southern states, but especially in Mississippi where fish frys are famous for their golden brown catfish. This fried catfish recipe uses simple pantry ingredients for the most part and is better than any boxed seafood fry mix, which often seem heavy on the garlic powder and light on other seasonings. Plus, it comes together in a jif and you can prep the catfish and breading earlier in the day so it’s ready to dredge and fry quickly when it’s time for dinner. The flaky fish has a mild, slightly sweet taste that is perfect with just the right amount of spices of crunch of the cornmeal coating on the outside.
What You’ll Need
Scroll down to the recipe card below this post for ingredient quantities and full instructions.
Catfish filets – We recommend using farm-raised catfish that are fresh or have been frozen and thawed in the refrigerator before adding to the buttermilk marinade to soak. Wild-caught catfish sometimes have a muddy flavor that isn’t very nice. Buttermilk – If you don’t have this ingredient on hand, an easy and excellent substitute is to combine 1 Tablespoon of vinegar with 1 cup of whole milk and let it sit for 5 minutes. Cornmeal – I recommend using a finely ground yellow cornmeal for this recipe. All-purpose flour Kosher salt Spices – Seasoned salt, paprika, cayenne pepper, and black pepper add the perfect amount of spice to the cornmeal breading so it’s perfectly seasoned and never bland. Oil – Peanut oil or vegetable oil are my favorites for frying, although we have also used canola oil.
How to Make Fried Catfish
Tips for Success
Work in batches. If you try to fry all your fish pieces at once, it’s likely that they won’t fit well in the pan and the temperature of the oil will drop significantly. Working in batches lets each catfish filet fry more evenly without getting soggy from oil that isn’t hot enough. Use a wire cooling rack instead of paper towels. I have found that when frying things, a wire rack does a better job than paper towels because excess oil can drip off without ruining the crispy underside of the catfish, which sometimes gets soft from sitting on the oil-soaked paper towels. Cut the catfish into strips. If the catfish pieces are particularly large and you want more of the crispy coating on each piece, you can cut the filets into strips lengthwise so they get more of the breading on each piece. Just keep in mind that the smaller pieces will cook faster than a whole filet. Catfish Po’boy Sandwich: You can use my shrimp po’boy sandwich recipe to make a catfish version topped with my homemade remoulade sauce.
What to Serve With Catfish
The classic sides for fried catfish for a fish camp menu are coleslaw, hush puppies, and french fries. The hush puppies and french fries are fried in the same oil used to fry the catfish and there is usually hot sauce available to add as much heat to your catfish as you like. But we also like some of these sides with our fried catfish filets when we want something a little little than all fried sides.
Perfectly Moist Cornbread Tender Roasted Green Beans Classic Macaroni Salad Fried Okra Mac & Cheese Fried Pickles Alabama White BBQ Sauce
Storage & Reheating
Like most fried foods, fried catfish is best eaten fresh the day it is made shortly after frying. But if you have leftovers, they can be kept in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. I recommend reheating them in the air fryer at 370 degrees F for 5-7 minutes to crisp up the outside and heat them through. You can also freeze fried catfish for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge overnight then reheat in the air fryer or in a 350 degree F oven for 10-15 minutes, rather than in a microwave.
More Fish & Seafood Recipes
Baked Salmon with Mango Salsa Maine Lobster Rolls Maryland Crab Cakes How to Cook Lobster Tails (4 Ways) Easy Garlic Lime Baked Tilapia
More States I Have Visited in my American Eats Series
Alabama • Alaska • Arizona • Arkansas • California • Colorado • Connecticut • Delaware • Florida • Georgia • Hawaii • Idaho • Illinois • Indiana • Iowa • Kansas • Kentucky • Louisiana • Maine • Maryland • Massachusetts • Michigan • Minnesota • Mississippi • Missouri • Montana • Nebraska • New Jersey • New York • Oregon • Puerto Rico • South Carolina • South Dakota • Texas • Utah • Wisconsin
BEST Baja Fried Fish Tacos Recipe
Crispy Coconut Shrimp (Fried or Baked)
Macadamia Nut Crusted Mahi-Mahi
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