Hey, y'all! Fried catfish is the quintessential food of my home region, Southern Kentucky. As such, I must have a competition-worthy recipe to offer y'all and to serve my guests! I hope you love my Southern Fried Catfish as much as I do!

Southern Fried Catfish

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Southern Fried Catfish Ingredients

• 6 catfish fillets
• 2 c. buttermilk
• ¼ c. hot sauce
• 1 c. yellow cornmeal
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp. salt, divided
• 2 tsp. pepper
• 2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning, or the cajun/creole seasoning of your choice
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• canola oil, for frying
• Lemon wedges, for serving

How to Make Southern Fried Catfish

1. Add catfish fillets into a shallow dish in a single layer. Whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the fish fillets; cover and chill for one hour.
2. Combine cornmeal, flour, salt (reserving one tsp.), pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and old bay seasoning in a shallow dish.
3. Remove catfish fillets from the refrigerator and let them stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Remove the fillets from the buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Sprinkle fillets evenly with 1 tsp. salt.
4. Dredge catfish fillets in the cornmeal mixture, fully coating the fish and shaking off the excess.
5. Pour oil 1.5 – 2 inches deep into a large skillet. Heat the oil to 350F. Fry fillets in batches, allowing 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
6. Drain the fried fillets on a wire cooling rack. Serve with lemon wedges.

Pro Tips For Making This Recipe

1. Allow the excess buttermilk to drip off before dredging the catfish in the seasoned cornmeal mixture, which will allow the fish to get a crispy crust.
2. For a spicy kick, increase the amount of hot sauce in the buttermilk marinade or add cayenne pepper to the seasoning blend.

Other Recipes You'll Love

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2. Mediterranean Shrimp
3. Southern Fried Shrimp
4. Fried Shrimp Po Boy Sandwich

Southern Fried Catfish

Southern Fried Catfish

JC Phelps

Few entrees are more classic than Southern Fried Catfish. Perfectly seasoned and fried to a golden brown, y'all will love it!

5 from 16 votes

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Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 15 minutes mins

Refrigeration Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 30 minutes mins

Course Main Course

Cuisine American, Southern

Servings 6

Calories 442 kcal

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

• 6 catfish fillets
• 2 c. buttermilk
• ¼ c. hot sauce
• 1 c. yellow cornmeal
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 3 tsp. salt divided
• 2 tsp. pepper
• 2 tsp. Old Bay Seasoning or the cajun/creole seasoning of your choice
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• canola oil for frying
• lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

 

• Add catfish fillets into a shallow dish in a single layer. Whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce. Pour the buttermilk mixture over the fish fillets; cover and chill for one hour.
• Combine cornmeal, flour, salt (reserving one tsp.), pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and old bay seasoning in a shallow dish.
• Remove catfish fillets from the refrigerator and let them stand at room temperature for 10 minutes. Remove the fillets from the buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off. Sprinkle fillets evenly with 1 tsp. salt.
• Dredge catfish fillets in the cornmeal mixture, fully coating the fish and shaking off the excess.
• Pour oil 1.5 – 2 inches deep into a large skillet. Heat the oil to 350F. Fry fillets in batches, allowing 3-4 minutes on each side or until golden brown.
• Drain the fried fillets on a wire cooling rack. Serve with lemon wedges.

Notes

• Allow the excess buttermilk to drip off before dredging the catfish in the seasoned cornmeal mixture, which will allow the fish to get a crispy crust.
• For a spicy kick, increase the amount of hot sauce in the buttermilk marinade or add cayenne pepper to the seasoning blend.

Nutrition

Calories: 442kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 159gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 9gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 531mgSodium: 1690mgPotassium: 3563mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 648IUVitamin C: 14mgCalcium: 254mgIron: 7mg

Keyword southern fried catfish

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My best,

JC