Best Fried Catfish Recipes

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.

BIG DADDY'S DEEP-FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Preheat a deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
• In a large bowl, add the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, salt and cayenne and whisk to combine. Whisk in the beer, being sure to remove any lumps.
• Cut the catfish fillets in half lengthwise to make 2 strips. If desired, cut into bite-sized pieces. In a small bowl add the salt, pepper and granulated garlic. Season the fillets with some of the salt mixture. Reserve the remaining salt mixture for another use.
• Dip each strip in the beer batter and add to the fryer, a few at a time, moving them around so they don't stick. Fry until brown and crispy, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the fryer to a serving platter. Repeat with the remaining fillets and season the fish with lemon juice.

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.

PAN FRIED CATFISH FILETS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, stir together cornmeal, cayenne pepper, paprika and onion powder. Mix well. Pour mixture onto a large sheet of waxed paper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Pour milk into a medium bowl. Dip catfish filets into milk and hold up and let the milk drip off. Roll the milk-soaked filet in the cornmeal mixture until completely covered. Set aside.
• Fry the garlic in the hot skillet, but do not burn. Add the coated catfish filets and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, sprinkling salt on the fish after each turn. Cook until golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork. Drain on paper towels.

FRIED CATFISH NUGGETS

Steps:

• Place the catfish pieces into a mixing bowl and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Toss until the catfish is evenly coated with the thyme. Mix in the mustard with your hands. Cover, and refrigerate overnight, up to 24 hours.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk the flour, salt, black pepper, and baking soda together in a mixing bowl.
• Dip the catfish pieces one at a time into the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Fry the catfish nuggets in batches until they are no longer translucent in the center and are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches. Drain the nuggets on a paper towel-lined plate before serving.

OVEN-FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Pat fish dry with paper towels. In a shallow bowl, combine the cornflake crumbs, celery salt, onion powder, paprika and pepper. In another bowl, beat the egg white and milk. Dip fillets into egg white mixture, then coat with crumb mixture. , Place in a 13-in. x 9-in. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Bake, uncovered, at 350° for 25-30 minutes or until fish flakes easily with a fork.

FRIED CORNMEAL-CRUSTED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a shallow dish combine the first 6 ingredients.
• Dredge the fillets into the mixture and coat evenly.
• In a large cast-iron skillet or a Dutch oven pour about 2-inches of oil; heat to 350 degrees.
• Fry the fillets in batches for about 5-6 minutes turning once until golden.
• Drain on paper towels.

FRIED CATFISH TOPPED WITH CRAWFISH AU GRATIN SAUCE

Steps:

• For the sauce: In a heavy-bottomed skillet over medium heat, melt the butter and saute the onions, peppers and garlic until wilted. Add the flour and stir until a blond roux is achieved, about 2 minutes. Stir in the sugar, chicken base, crab base, granulated garlic, basil, black pepper, cayenne pepper and thyme. Add the milk and wine and cook over medium heat until the milk thickens, stirring constantly, about 6 minutes. Add the cheese and stir until the cheese melts and fully incorporates into the sauce. Add the crawfish tails and cook until heated through, about 4 minutes. Add the green onions just before serving.
• For the catfish: Sprinkle the catfish with Creole seasoning. In a small bowl, beat the eggs and add the milk. Coat the catfish in flour and dip in the milk/egg mixture, then coat with cornmeal. Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a large skillet. Fry the catfish until golden brown, 7 to 8 minutes.
• Serve the catfish with the crawfish au gratin sauce.

OVEN-FRIED CATFISH WITH RéMOULADE SAUCE

Steps:

• Make fish:
• Preheat oven to 500°F with rack in middle.
• Brush a baking pan with 2 tablespoons oil.
• Combine bread crumbs, cornmeal, and 1 teaspoon salt in a large sealable plastic bag and shake to mix.
• Season fish with salt and pepper on both sides. Working with 1 piece at a time, dip fish in eggs, letting excess drip off, then put in bag and shake to coat well with crumbs.
• Transfer fish to baking pan and bake until undersides are golden, about 6 minutes. Drizzle fish with remaining 2 tablespoons oil, then carefully turn over and cook until golden and just cooked thourough, about 6 minutes more.
• Make rémoulade while fish bakes:
• Whisk together all rémoulade ingredients and salt to taste. Serve fish with sauce on the side.

CLASSIC FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• COMBINE first 5 ingredients in a large shallow dish.
• Sprinkle fish with 1/4 teaspoon salt; dredge in cornmeal mixture, coating evenly.
• POUR oil to a depth of 1 1/2 inches into a deep cast-iron skillet; heat to 350 degrees;.
• Fry fish, in batches, 5 to 6 minutes or until golden; drain on paper towels.

DENISE'S LOUISIANA HUSH PUPPIES & FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• HUSH PUPPIES:.
• Heat oil to 350°F.
• Stir together all ingredients.
• Drop by tablespoon into hot oil (Hint: drop close to oil to prevent getting a bunch of little hush puppies).
• When hush puppies float and are golden on one side, flip and brown other side.
• Remove from oil and place on a paper towel lined cookie sheet, in a low oven.
• FRIED CATFISH.
• Rinse catfish fillets in cold water.
• Drain well.
• Salt and pepper the fish. (At this point other seasonings can be added, such as garlic, Old Bay Tony's, etc).
• Dredge fish in Seasoned Fish Fry.
• Deep fry in hot oil.

SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH NUGGETS

Steps:

• Put oil in a skillet until it is halfway up or you can use a deep fryer, a deep fryer is actually best for these. Heat until hot or if using skillet use medium high heat.
• In a large bowl beat egg with a fork, add buttermilk to it. Beat again to incorporate.
• In another big bowl put cornmeal and seasonings to taste.
• Rinse nuggets and dip into milk mixture, depending on how many you have you could probably fit them all in at one time.
• Take a few out of the milk and dip in to the cornmeal, roll around to get it coated good, then put into oil.
• If using skillet put them in until skillet is full. fry 3 minutes, turn and fry another 2-3 minutes. If using a deep fryer fry 5 minutes, about halfway through stir them around to break up any that might have clumped together. They are done when golden brown and flake easily with a fork.

SECRET INGREDIENT FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a shallow bowl, whisk eggs and water. In another shallow bowl, combine the pancake mix, seasoned salt and pepper. Dip fillets in egg mixture, then coat with seasoned pancake mix., In an electric skillet or deep-fat fryer, heat oil to 375°. Fry fillets, a few at a time, for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

FRIED CATFISH TACOS WITH CHIPOTLE COLE SLAW - EMERIL LAGASSE

Steps:

• Using a sharp knife, cut the catfish filets into 1-inch strips on the diagonal.
• Place fish in a medium mixing bowl with the milk, Creole mustard, hot sauce, 1/2 tsp of salt and cayenne pepper.
• Stir to thoroughly combine and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Make the Chipotle Slaw by combining the chipotle, mayonnaise, honey and lime juice in a large mixing bowl. Add the shredded cabbage, onions, 1/4 tsp salt and thoroughly combine. Refrigerate until ready to assemble the tacos.
• Heat the vegetable oil in a cast-iron skillet or a deep fryer until a thermometer registers 350 degrees.
• In a shallow plate, combine the flour, cornmeal and creole seasoning. Dredge each piece of fish in the flour mixture until well coated on all sides.
• When the oil is hot, gently place the fish in the hot oil and deep fry until the fish is golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes.
• Using a slotted spoon, transfer the fish to a paper-lined plate to drain. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Using tongs, quickly dip the corn tortillas in the hot oil until they begin to sizzle. Transfer to paper-lined plates to drain briefly, then serve, with the catfish and slaw divided among the hot taco shells.

SOUTHERN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a small bowl, combine the olive oil, mayonnaise, scallions and relish to make a tartar sauce. Refrigerate until needed.
• Heat oil in deep-fryer to 350 degrees F.
• Combine cornmeal, Blackfish Spice and salt and pepper, to taste. Dredge catfish fillets in seasoned cornmeal. Deep-fry coated pieces in batches until they are cooked through, about 10 minutes. (For basic reference, use the manufacturer's instructions for your deep fryer for similar foods, then test the fish see that it is fork tender.) Allow to drain on paper towels and serve with tartar sauce and fresh lemon wedges (to squeeze lemon juice over the fish).

BUTTERMILK-AND-CORNMEAL PAN-FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Place buttermilk in a shallow bowl. In another shallow bowl combine cornmeal, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning.
• Heat about 1/8 inch of oil in large skillet over medium heat until a pinch of cornmeal mixture sizzles quickly.
• Dip catfish fillets into buttermilk to coat on both sides. Drain excess and dredge fillets in cornmeal mixture, coating both sides. Shake off excess.
• Fry fillets in oil, 3 to 4 minutes on each side, until nicely browned and crisp.

CAJUN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Preheat the oil in a deep fat fryer to 375°F.
• Cut the fish into 2 to 3 ounce pieces.
• Combine mustard, Tabasco sauce, Worcestershire sauce, cream, water, and wine in a large mixing bowl until well blended.
• Put the white cornmeal in a food processor and blend at high speed for about 2 minutes; It will make the mixture much finer.
• Pour the mixture into another large, dry mixing bowl and add the flour and remaining ingredients, except for the cooking oil.
• Mix well together until well blended; coat the fish pieces in the mustard mixture, then roll the fish in the dry cornmeal/flour mixture.
• Fry the fish in a deep fat fryer at 375°F; the fish should float to the top of the grease and turn a golden brown.
• Remove from the fryer and drain on a stack of dry paper towels.
• This makes awesome Po' Boy's or just plain old fish sandwiches.

FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Pat fish dry; transfer to a pie dish or other wide, shallow dish. Season generously with salt andpepper. Add buttermilk, turning and arranging fish strips to fully submerge. Let stand 2 hours, or refrigerate, loosely covered, up to 8 hours.
• In another pie dish, season cornmeal with salt and pepper. Working one at a time, lift fishstrips from buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off, and dredge in cornmeal mixture, turning toevenly coat. Gently shake off any excess; transfer to a wire rack.
• Pour enough oil into a large, heavy-bottomed skillet (preferably cast iron) to come 1/4 inchup sides (about 3/4 cup); heat over medium-high. When oil shimmers and a bit of cornmeal sizzles when dropped in, add fish in a single layer (do not crowd pan; fry in batches if necessary). Cook, undisturbed, until fish is golden brown on bottoms and lifts easily from skillet, 2 to 3 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until golden on bottoms and just cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes more. Transfer to a clean wire rack, season with salt, and let cool 1 minute. Serve with lemon wedges and hot sauce, or one of the fish sauces.

QUICK PAN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• In shallow bowl, stir together Bisquick mix, cornmeal and seafood seasoning. Pat catfish fillets dry with paper towels; brush both sides of fillets with dressing. Coat with Bisquick mixture, lightly pressing mixture onto fillets.
• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook catfish in hot oil 6 to 10 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily with fork. Serve immediately with lemon.

DEEP FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Mix dry ingredients.
• Heat oil to 365F degrees.
• Dip fish in milk, then in flour mixture.
• Fry a few at a time, turning once, about 2 minutes each side.
• Drain on paper towels.