Pete's Catfish

By

  • 6
  • 15 mins
  • 765 mins

Ingredients

  • 6 large catfish fillets
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 quarts peanut oil

Preparation

Step 1

Put the catfish a shallow pan and cover with water. Add a tablespoon of the salt, cover with plastic wrap and soak overnight in the refrigerator.

Mix the cornmeal, flour, the remaining1 teaspoon salt and the black pepper in a plastic bag. Drain the water from the catfish and transfer the fillets one at a time to the bag with the cornmeal. Shake the bag to coat the fish and place on a sheet tray or platter.

Heat the oil in a deep fryer or Dutch oven to 300 degrees F.

Drop a few fillets into the hot oil. Do not overcrowd. Cook the fish until golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove the pieces with a slotted spoon and keep warm in an oven while frying the remaining pieces.