Southern Fried Catfish

Name: Southern Fried Catfish
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Mississippi Delta
Ingredients: 2 lb (900 g) catfish fillets, cut in half lengthwise; 1 cup buttermilk; 1 tsp hot sauce; 1 tsp salt; 1½ cups fine yellow cornmeal; ½ cup all-purpose flour; 2 tsp Cajun or Creole seasoning; 1 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp black pepper; 1 tsp salt; Peanut or vegetable oil for frying; Lemon wedges, tartar sauce and hot sauce

Delta Fried Catfish

The Mississippi Delta raises more catfish than anywhere in the country, and every Friday fish fry follows the same rules: buttermilk soak, seasoned cornmeal, hot oil, hushpuppies and coleslaw on the side.

Prep 15 min + 30 min soak
Cook 20 min
Serves 4
Level Easy

Photo: Adrian Newell · Pexels

On the side

The side dish that belongs with it, full recipe included.

Southern United States

Southern Hushpuppies

Hushpuppies

Little balls of onion-flecked cornmeal batter dropped into the fish oil and fried golden. No Southern fish fry is complete without a basket of them.

Prep 10 min
Cook 10 min
Serves 4–6 (about 24)
Level Easy

You need

1 cup yellow cornmeal
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp cayenne
1 egg
¾ cup buttermilk
½ cup onion, finely chopped
Vegetable oil for frying

How to make it

Mix. Whisk the dry ingredients. Stir in the egg, buttermilk and onion until just combined. Rest 10 minutes.
Heat the oil. Heat 2 inches (5 cm) of oil to 350 °F (175 °C).
Fry. Drop tablespoons of batter into the oil, a few at a time. Fry 3–4 minutes, turning, until deep golden and cooked through.
Serve. Drain on a rack and serve hot with butter or honey.

Photo: Laura oliveira · Pexels