Go Back
Crispy Southern Deep Fried Catfish Recipe

Crispy Southern Deep Fried Catfish

Catfish fillets are soaked in buttermilk, coated with seasoned cornmeal and flour, and fried until crisp and golden. This Southern-style fish dinner is ready in about 1 hour, including the soaking time.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 6 minutes
Total Time 1 minute
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Catfish and Soak
  • 4 fillets Skinless catfish fillets, about 5–6 ounces each
  • 1 cup Buttermilk
  • 1 tablespoon Hot sauce, optional
Crispy Coating
  • 1 cup Yellow cornmeal, preferably medium-ground
  • 1/2 cup All-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon Garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon Cayenne pepper, optional
For Frying
  • 6–8 cups, or enough for 2 inches in a heavy pot Peanut, canola, or vegetable oil

Method
 

Step-by-Step
  1. Pat the catfish fillets dry with paper towels. Place them in a shallow dish, pour the buttermilk and optional hot sauce over the top, turn the fillets to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
  2. In a shallow bowl or pie plate, combine the cornmeal, flour, kosher salt, paprika, black pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and optional cayenne pepper.
  3. Remove each fillet from the buttermilk and allow excess liquid to drain. Press the fish firmly into the seasoned cornmeal mixture, turning to cover every side, then shake off loose coating and rest the breaded fillets for 5–10 minutes.
  4. Pour the oil into a heavy Dutch oven or deep fryer, using about 2 inches in a pot, and heat it to 350°F. Check the temperature with a reliable deep-fry thermometer before adding the fish.
  5. Fry the catfish in small batches for approximately 3–5 minutes per side, depending on thickness. Cook until deeply golden, crisp, and flaky, with the thickest part reaching 145°F.
  6. Transfer the fried catfish to a wire rack set over a baking sheet, or briefly to paper towels. Serve immediately with lemon, tartar sauce, hot sauce, coleslaw, or hush puppies.

Notes

Medium- or coarse-ground cornmeal provides extra crunch. Do not overcrowd the pot, and allow the oil to return to 350°F between batches. A wire rack keeps the crust crisp better than leaving the fish directly on paper towels.