Got a hankering for some fried catfish for some reason. Normally if I was to cook catfish I’d likely do a blackened, Cajun style pan-sear. But I’m thinking of frying with some sort of breading or batter. Corn meal, maybe?
And what’s good for a side sauce- maybe a remoulade, which would be like a spicy mayo? I used to get a fried catfish entree at a restaurant in a hotel I worked at many years ago, and they served it with a tomato-based sauce that was like a salsa. That sounds good too. Something a little more adventurous than a simple tartar sauce.
I like to make fried catfish sandwiches. I also really like the sauce that goes with it, though it is very much like a tartar sauce. Remoulade would be good too.
This is what I use for the catfish:
1/2 cup all-purpose flour seasoned with salt and pepper for dredging the fish
2 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt
Cayenne pepper taste (I use a fair bit, plus I add it to both the egg mix and the flour)
1/2 cup cornmeal for dredging the fish
(2) 1/2-pound catfish fillets, halved crosswise
vegetable oil for frying the fish
In separate shallow dishes place the flour, the eggs beaten with the salt and the cayenne, and the cornmeal. Dredge each catfish fillet half in the flour, shaking off the excess, dip it in the egg mixture, letting the excess drip off, and dredge it in the cornmeal. Transfer the fish as it is coated to a wax paper-lined baking sheet.
Fry the fish in batches for 4-5 minutes on each side, or until it is cooked through and the coating is crisp, and transfer it with a slotted spatula to paper towels to drain.
This is the sauce I make:
1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1/2 tablespoon Dijon-style mustard
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
a pinch of cayenne
1/2 tablespoon bottled cocktail sauce, or to taste
Just mix all of it together.
If you want to make sandwiches, get some large soft rolls, lettuce, slice up some roma tomatoes and fry up some bacon.
Hmm… a catfish po’boy? Sounds fantastic. In any case, whether I go sandwich or entree, your catfish recipe sounds perfect, and I like your sauce idea too. Thanks!
Not to discourage others from sharing their catfish recipes and recs, but looks like we have a winner right out of the gate
We here in Upstate NY are eagerly awaiting the arrival of the bullheads, locally caught type of catfish, which are battered and deep-fried at a very few restaurants. The supply lasts about a month and they sell out within an hour, so I call and reserve dinners for takeout. Otherwise, I buy farm-raised catfish filets, coat them in seasoned panko crumbs, and cook in the air fryer. HEAVENLY. Usually serve with just some tartar sauce or a bottled remoulade sauce .
This sounds fabulous! My only difference is that I mix the cornmeal and flour together to make a coating, and I dredge the fillet in buttermilk instead of egg.
As for remoulade, on the occasions I’ve made it, I’ve just added different things until I liked the flavor. Start with mayo, add dill pickle juice or lemon juice or both, cayenne, smoked paprika, salt, and whatever else sounds tasty.
‘Louisiana’ brand is everywhere here, or a store brand. Also bottled bang-bang sauce. In a pinch I buy pink Japanese yum yum sauce and add some hot sauce, capers, relish, or whatever.
A mess of catfish is a lot.
But you can do a personal size “mess”
Say, 2 fish, 4 filets.
Good dinner.
Here’s the way we do it. (My son has it down to science)
Louisiana Fish fry. Follow instructions on the PKG.
You really can’t improve on it. Many restaurant chains use it. Emeril Lagasse uses it.
It really is the bottom line for catfish.
It’s cheap and readily available.
We don’t do a made sauce. It’s Louisiana Hot sauce. Heinz chile sauce or catsup.
No tartar sauce things please. Mayo based stuff does not pair well with catfish, imo. YMMV.
Tartar sauce is an abomination. Cocktail or Heinz Chili sauce for shrimp cocktail.
Remoulade for fried fish (in my case salmon but I’m going to give making catfish a try now).
Schlotterbeck & Foss stopped making their Southern Sauce and I haven’t found anything close. That Louisiana Brand remoulade looks like it will do the trick. I’ve never seen it out here in Southern California but Amazon will be delivering me some in short order.
Thanks!
Edit: Apparently it is available near me but in a couple of lower end supermarkets where I don’t ordinarily shop. I am so happy.
Thanks @salinqmind and @Beckdawrek (anything Southern and food recommended by you has to be a winner.)
Classic, but the Cajun is nice. We have children eating so we don’t do the extra spicy.
Gotta hot sauce your own plate.
The shrimp fry is not so good, imo. We make a better more Tempura type coating for shrimp. My son came up with it. It has cornstarch in, is all I remember at the moment.
You know, dips and sauces are personal preference. I took a small poll here at the house. Only one said a tarter sauce thing. “Like McDonalds has”
Sweet summer child has never had a freshly made tarter sauce. She don’t know(she’s 8yo).
Anywhoo eat a bite for me, whomever is frying it up.
You come here and I’ll pull you a Catfish from the pond, pull his clothes off, filet him and fry him for you.
@solost how are you gonna fry the catfish. (If you say airfry )
I was planning to pan-fry them with a generous amount of oil in the pan. Is that how you would do it? Sounds like you know your catfish, so if you have frying advice I’m all ears.
My son has an outdoor fish fryer set up he Frankensteined together
I swear, I cry a little everytime he lights it up. One day “baloO-ey!”
See the writing on the wall.
So, the deeper the oil the better. It must…MUST be peanut oil. There’s just something it adds.
In a kitchen. Get your deepest heavy bottomed pan. Le creuset dutch oven is perfect.
Heat the oil high. As high as you can get it before it burns. (Oh, open a window and turn on the vent fan).
With tongs pick up your breaded fish, shake a little fish dance and slip it in the oil. Carefully. Wait exactly 30 seconds and add another piece. Same with all pieces. Don’t overcrowd. They are fish, they like to swim.
When they start floating up remove them. They keep cooking for a minute after they are on your previously prepared sheet pan with layers of brown paper over news paper. No paper towel. Sticks to the breading.
Salt. Regular old table salt.
Thanks! I do have a lot of peanut oil on hand, but not a very deep frying pan I’m afraid, so I think I’ll have to flip the fish instead of having it cook completely submerged in the oil.
)