Fried Catfish

By lorik

Shake up standard weeknight fare by breaking out the fryer for these oh-so-good fillets.

Ingredients

• FOR THE CATFISH, COMBINE:
• 2 cups buttermilk, divided
• 1 tsp. Tabasco sauce
• 4 catfish fillets (4–6 oz. each), halved on the bias
• FILL:
• Vegetable or peanut oil
• STIR:
• 3/4 cup each all-purpose flour and cornmeal
• 2 Tbsp. barbecue seasoning or spice mix
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• WHISK:
• 1 egg
• FOR THE SAUCE, WHISK:
• 1 cup mayonnaise
• 3 Tbsp. Creole mustard
• 1 Tbsp. dill pickle relish
• Variation:
• Canola oil to fill a 12 inch skillet 1/4" deep
• 4 catfish fillets, fingered
• Salt and Pepper
• Cajun seasoning to taste
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup buttermilk

Details

Servings 4
Cooking time 45mins
Adapted from cuisineathome.com

Preparation

Step 1

For the catfish, combine 1 cup buttermilk and 1 tsp. Tabasco in
a resealable plastic bag; add fillets and let soak in the fridge while
preparing remaining ingredients.

Fill a pot or cast-iron fryer twothirds full of oil and heat to 350°.

Preheat oven to 200°.

Stir together flour, cornmeal, barbecue seasoning, salt, and pepper in a shallow dish. Whisk egg and 1 cup remaining buttermilk in a second dish. Drain fillets and pat dry; dip in cornmeal mixture, then buttermilk mixture, and back into cornmeal.

Fry fillets in hot oil in batches until golden and crisp, 5–7 minutes;
transfer to a baking sheet with a rack inside and keep warm in oven.
For the sauce, whisk together mayonnaise, mustard, and relish;
season with Tabasco.

Variation:
Heat oil in skillet on medium heat until hot. Combine flour and cornmeal in a wide mouth bowl. Lay fish pieces on wax paper and season with salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Turn fish over and season on other side. Dip seasoned pieces of fish into buttermilk, and then dredge in cornmeal-flour mixture. Arrange in skillet and brown slowly on both sides. Drain on paper towels. Serve with coleslaw and hush puppies.