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    Home » Recipes » Courses » Main Courses

    Southern Fried Catfish

    Published: August 12, 2020 by Kari · 2 Comments · This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases at no cost to you.

    RECIPE ↓
    a pin image of two fried catfish filets on brick steps
    a pin image of two fried catfish filets on a towel
    a pin image of two fried catfish filets on a towel
    a pin image of two fried catfish filets on brick steps

    Southern Fried Catfish is a staple in every Southern kitchen. You can’t beat freshly caught catfish filets, dredged in perfectly seasoned cornmeal breading and fried until the inside is perfectly tender and the outside is a crisp, golden brown.

    I grew up catching fish with my dad and on the rare occasion, we would fry them. I was picky about fish as a kid - they used to tell me that every fish was lane snapper so that I would eat it. As an adult, I am less picky about my fish but I also learned how to fry fish and I think it is one of the best ways to cook it. There is not much better than a hot and crispy piece of fish that leaves just the right amount of grease on your fingers so that you can't be bothered to touch your phone during dinner.

    This recipe is the ultimate Southern Fried Catfish - a recipe that every Southern cook should know how to make. It is salty, flaky, crunchy, and a little spicy.

    two fried catfish filets on a red and white towel

    🥘 Ingredient Notes

    the ingredients needed to fry catfish, labeled

    Catfish Fillets (Fresh is best - fish, of course, will smell fishy, but it shouldn't smell awful. If it doesn't smell right, ask for a second opinion before cooking it.)

    Wet Ingredients

    • Eggs
    • Buttermilk ( You can also use regular milk or water.)
    • Hot Sauce ( I like to use Tabasco.)

    Dry Ingredients

    • Cornmeal ( I like to use my homemade cornmeal.)
    • Whole Wheat Flour ( You can also use All-Purpose Flour, but I like the grittiness of wheat flour.)
    • Seasoning Salt
    • Black Pepper
    • Lemon Pepper Seasoning (You can either buy this or make it - I like to make it by dehydrating lemon peels, then grinding them in a spice grinder with black peppercorns.)
    • Paprika
    • Optional - Cayenne Pepper

    🍽 Equipment Needed

    • Two Large Bowls
    • Measuring Spoons
    • Measuring Cups
    • A Deep Fryer

    🥣 How to Make It

    Fried catfish is a signature dish that every Southern cook should know how to make.

    Combine the wet ingredients in a large bowl - whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce together. (Picture 1 - 2)

    Now, soak the catfish fillets in the egg mixture. Make sure the fillets are fully coated. Let this sit while you mix up the dry ingredients. (Picture 3 - 5)

    a process collage of images for frying catfish, steps 1 - 5

    In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients - flour, cornmeal, salt, paprika, pepper, and lemon pepper. (And cayenne if you are using it.) Mix well to ensure an even distribution of seasoning. (Pictures 6 - 7)

    Now, dredge the soaked fillets in the cornmeal mixture and make sure they are fully coated. Shake off any excess breading. Place the fillets on a plate and cover.

    Let them sit in the refrigerator for 10 - 15 minutes while you heat your oil - this will help the breading stick to the fish.

    a process collage of images for frying catfish, steps 6 - 10

    To Fry Catfish in a Deep Fryer

    Heat a deep fryer to 350°F.

    When oil is hot, drop filets in and cook for 7 - 10 minutes - until the fillets are golden brown and the internal temperature is 340°F. (For thinner fillets, it can take less time so watch them - we cut them thick.)

    Rest the cooked fillets on a wire cooling rack - not a towel - this will allow for the crispiest fish.

    a process collage of images for frying catfish, steps 11 - 15

    To Fry Catfish on the Stove

    In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 3 to 4 inches of oil over medium heat. The oil should be hot enough when you can splash water on it and it sputters back at you. If you can smell the oil, it is likely too hot. (If the oil is too cold, the breading will absorb the oil and the fish will be soggy. EW! Too hot and the outside will cook before the inside.)

    Fry the fillets in small batches so that you don't crowd the oil - if you put too much fish in the oil at one time, it will lower the temperature and the fish won't cook.

    Cook for 7 - 10 minutes - until the fillets are golden brown and the internal temperature is 340°F. (For thinner fillets, it can take less time so watch them - we cut them thick.)

    Rest the cooked fillets on a wire cooling rack - not a towel - this will allow for the crispiest fish.

    🙋‍♀️ Frequently Asked Questions

    What kind of oil should you use to fry catfish?

    If using a deep fryer, we use peanut or canola oil. They are not my favorite kinds of oil, but they really are the best for frying. If I am doing a shallow fry on the stove, I like to use avocado oil.

    Can you use this recipe to fry other fish?

    Yes! We use this same recipe to fry perch, snapper, grouper, striped bass, and shell crackers. Just adjust the cooking time for larger or smaller fillets.

    two fried catfish filets in front of a fryer on red brick steps

    🍳 Serving Suggestions & Uses

    We love to serve fried fish with some slices of lemon and tartar sauce, but my real favorite way to enjoy fried catfish is by making Catfish Atchafalaya. It is a huge plate of Fried Catfish smothered in Crawfish Étouffée with a heaping scoop of Green Onion Rice. Easily one of my favorite dinners of all time.

    Button linking to the Pinterest page for Southern Bytes.

    🥫 Storage/Shelf Life/Reheating

    If you don't finish fried fish in one meal, store it in an air-tight container in the refrigerator after letting it cool. I like to reheat it in the air-fryer to crisp back up - if you do not have an air-fryer, you can use the toaster oven or the regular oven, just put some foil under the fish to catch any drippings so you don't end up with a toaster that permanently smells like fish.

    If you aren't going to be able to finish all of your fried fish, you can freeze it, just be sure to put the fish in an air-tight container or plastic bag. (Vacuum seal it if you can - this will prevent freezer burn.)

    ✏️ Helpful Tips

    • Heat your oil properly. Make sure your oil is hot enough before putting your fish into it. If you do not have a thermometer that you can use in oil, another way to test that oil is hot is by flicking a drop of water into it. If the oil spits and sputters back at you, the oil should be hot enough. If nothing happens, give it some more time. If the oil is cold, the fish will soak up a ton of oil and just get really soggy and greasy. If you put your fish in and you realize that the oil is too cold, you can still save it - take it out right away and wait for the oil to heat up. The flip side of this is if your oil is too hot, the outside of the fish will burn before the inside has a chance to cook. (You can generally smell when oil is burning.)
    • Do not overcrowd your oil. If you put too much in the oil, it will start to cool down and the fish will get soggy. If you can't fit all of your fish in at once - be patient and fry it in batches. (If you have to fry a lot of fish, place a cookie sheet in the oven over a baking sheet and turn the oven onto a "warm" or super, super, super low setting and keep the fish in there. This will help it stay warm and crispy.)
    • Use a wire rack. Instead of draining grease off of your fish onto a paper bag or a towel, place it on a rack as you would use for cooling cookies. (With the paper or a towel underneath to catch drippings.) The fish will cook a little longer as the oil drips off and will get nice and crispy.
    • Use fresh fish. Make sure that your fish is not old - if it smells off at all, be cautious eating it. Catfish smells a little fishy, but should not have a very strong odor.

    What Can You Serve with Fried Catfish?

    Too much fried food can be kind of heavy and greasy, but a good creamy side dish can balance that out. There are a lot of popular side dishes to serve at fish fries - here are our favorites:

    • Collard Greens
    • Creamy Coleslaw
    • Southern Potato Salad

    You can find more recipes to serve with fried catfish here.

    🍳 Other Yummy Southern Recipes

    • Red Beans and Rice
    • Skillet Cornbread
    • Green Onion Rice
    • Shrimp Creole
    two fried catfish filets on a red and white towel

    Southern Fried Catfish

    4.72 from 14 votes
    Kari
    Southern Fried Catfish is a staple in every Southern kitchen. You can’t beat freshly caught catfish filets, dredged in perfectly seasoned cornmeal breading and fried until the inside is perfectly tender and the outside is a crisp, golden brown.
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Saved!
    Prep Time 20 mins
    Cook Time 10 mins
    Chilling Time 15 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine Cajun, Southern
    Servings 4
    Calories 490

    Video

    Equipment

    • a deep fryer
    • a large bowl
    • measuring spoons
    • measuring cups

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 - 2 pounds catfish filets cleaned and deboned

    Dry Ingredients

    • ⅔ cup cornmeal
    • ¼ cup whole wheat flour
    • 1 ½ teaspoons seasoning salt
    • ½ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
    • ¼ teaspoon paprika
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

    Wet Ingredients

    • 2 eggs
    • 3 tablespoons buttermilk
    • 2 teaspoons Tabasco Sauce

    For Serving

    • lemon wedges
    • tartar sauce
    • extra Tabasco sauce

    For Frying

    • 2 - 4 cups frying oil the quantity of oil depends on the size of the deep fryer or pot that you are frying in, you want at least 2 inches of oil

    Instructions
     

    • Combine the wet ingredients in a large bowl - whisk the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce together.
      2 eggs, 3 tablespoons buttermilk, 2 teaspoons Tabasco Sauce
    • Now, soak the catfish fillets in the egg mixture. Make sure the fillets are fully coated. Let that sit while you mix up the dry ingredients.
      1 - 2 pounds catfish filets
    • In a large bowl combine the dry ingredients - flour, cornmeal, salt, paprika, pepper, and lemon pepper. (And cayenne if you are using it.)
      ⅔ cup cornmeal, ¼ cup whole wheat flour, 1 ½ teaspoons seasoning salt, ½ teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning, ¼ teaspoon paprika, ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • Mix well to ensure an even distribution of seasoning.
    • Now, dredge the soaked fillets in the cornmeal mixture and make sure they are fully coated. Shake off any excess breading.
    • Place the fillets on a plate and cover. Let them sit in the refrigerator for 10 - 15 minutes while you heat your oil - this will help the breading stick to the fish.

    To Fry Catfish in a Deep Fryer

    • Heat a deep fryer to 350°F.
    • When oil is hot, drop filets in and cook for 7 - 10 minutes - until the fillets are golden brown and the internal temperature is 340°F. (For thinner fillets, it can take less time so watch them - we cut them thick.)
    • Rest the cooked fillets on a wire cooling rack - not a towel - this will allow for the crispiest fish.

    To Fry Catfish on the Stove

    • In a large pot or dutch oven, heat 3 to 4 inches of oil over medium heat. The oil should be hot enough when you can splash water on it and it sputters back at you. If you can smell the oil, it is likely too hot. (If the oil is too cold, the breading will absorb the oil and the fish will be soggy. EW! Too hot and the outside will cook before the inside.)
    • Fry the fillets in small batches so that you don't crowd the oil - if you put too much fish in the oil at one time, it will lower the temperature and the fish won't cook.
    • Cook for 7 - 10 minutes - until the fillets are golden brown and the internal temperature is 340°F. (For thinner fillets, it can take less time so watch them - we cut them thick.)
    • Rest the cooked fillets on a wire cooling rack - not a towel - this will allow for the crispiest fish.
    • Serve and enjoy!
      lemon wedges, tartar sauce, extra Tabasco sauce

    Notes

    Tips
    • Heat your oil properly. Make sure your oil is hot enough before putting your fish into it. If you do not have a thermometer that you can use in oil, another way to test that oil is hot is by flicking a drop of water into it. If the oil spits and sputters back at you, the oil should be hot enough. If nothing happens, give it some more time. If the oil is cold, the fish will soak up a ton of oil and just get really soggy and greasy. If you put your fish in and you realize that the oil is too cold, you can still save it - take it out right away and wait for the oil to heat up. The flip side of this is if your oil is too hot, the outside of the fish will burn before the inside has a chance to cook. (You can generally smell when oil is burning.)
    • Do not overcrowd your oil. If you put too much in the oil, it will start to cool down and the fish will get soggy. If you can't fit all of your fish in at once - be patient and fry it in batches. (If you have to fry a lot of fish, place a cookie sheet in the oven over a baking sheet and turn the oven onto a "warm" or super, super, super low setting and keep the fish in there. This will help it stay warm and crispy.)
    • Use a wire rack. Instead of draining grease off of your fish onto a paper bag or a towel, place it on a rack as you would use for cooling cookies. (With the paper or a towel underneath to catch drippings.) The fish will cook a little longer as the oil drips off and will get nice and crispy.
    • Use fresh fish. Make sure that your fish is not old - if it smells off at all, be cautious eating it. Catfish smells a little fishy, but should not have a very strong odor.
    •  

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1filletCalories: 490kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 63gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 280mgSodium: 1116mgPotassium: 1376mgFiber: 3gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 421IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 75mgIron: 2mg

    Nutrition information is approximate and is automatically calculated, so should only be used as a guide.

    Keyword cornmeal fried catfish, fried catfish, southern fried catfish
    Tried this recipe?Mention @southernbytes or tag #southernbytes!
    « Crawfish Étouffée
    Catfish Atchafalaya »

    About Kari

    I am a WordPress Developer, Food Blogger, and Health Coach. I love to cook and experiment with fun new recipes. I hope you enjoy!

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Drew

      May 16, 2022 at 11:19 am

      5 stars
      After a day of successful fishing, this was perfect way to use the harvest on some panfish. Came out amazing! Thanks for the fantastic recipe!

      Reply
    2. Tony Mathis

      February 02, 2021 at 3:16 pm

      I will try your recipes soon
      Will be going up to Lake Sam Rayburn in Texas soon. The fish are not biting to good right now weather changing back and forth to much

      Reply

    Please let me know what you think about the recipe :) Cancel reply

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    Hi, I'm Kari!

    I am a WordPress developer, food blogger, and health coach. I love to cook and experiment with fun new recipes. I hope you enjoy!

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