Southern cornmeal-crusted catfish

Name: Southern cornmeal-crusted catfish
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 120 ml plain unsweetened buttermilk; 80 g wheat flour; 900 g skinless boneless farmed catfish fillet; 1000 ml refined peanut oil for frying; 2 g old Bay seasoning; 0.5 g hot smoked paprika; ≈ ¼ tsp ground black pepper; 2 g fine salt; 100 g fine cornmeal, not precooked

Main course
American

Seasoned catfish fillets dipped in buttermilk, coated with cornmeal and wheat flour, then fried until golden.

Active time35 min

Cooking25 min

Total45 minResting : 5 min

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Ingredients

900 g skinless boneless farmed catfish fillets
120 ml plain unsweetened buttermilk
80 g wheat flour
1000 ml refined peanut oil for frying
0.5 g hot smoked paprika
≈ ¼ tsp ground black pepper
2 g fine salt
100 g fine cornmeal, not precooked
2 g Old Bay seasoning

Preparation

Step completed · 1
Check for bones and pat the fillets thoroughly dry. Cut into similarly sized portions. Mix the cornmeal and flour on a plate. Combine Old Bay, salt, paprika and pepper in a bowl, then season both sides of the fish with the mixture. Pour the buttermilk into a shallow bowl. Dip the pieces, let excess drip off, then coat in the cornmeal mixture. Place on a rack and let the coating adhere for 5 min.
Step completed · 2
During this rest, heat the oil in a deep, high-sided pot to 175 °C, checking with a frying thermometer. Add the fish in small batches without crowding. Fry for about 5–6 min, until the crust is golden and the flesh opaque and easy to flake. Maintain the oil temperature and cook longer if needed for thicker pieces.
Step completed · 3
Lift out the pieces with a spider strainer and place on a clean rack over a tray lined with kitchen paper. Let the oil drain off and serve hot. Discard the buttermilk and flour mixture that touched the raw fish.

Allergens

Fish
Gluten
Milk
Peanuts

Variations

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Sources and credits

Photo: Au Menu — created with ImageGen at Roch’s request · Editorial permission from Roch for Au Menu; OpenAI terms

Au Menu · AI-generated illustration