Here’s a simple and delicious Golden Fried Catfish recipe—crispy on the outside, tender on the inside 🐟✨
🐟 Golden Fried Catfish
🧺 Ingredients (serves 2–4)
- 1 lb catfish fillets
- 1 cup cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika (optional)
- ½ tsp garlic powder (optional)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Lemon wedges for serving
👩🍳 Instructions
- Prep Catfish
- Rinse fillets and pat dry.
- Soak fillets in buttermilk for 15–20 minutes (this helps coating stick and adds flavor).
- Prepare Coating
- In a shallow dish, mix cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and optional paprika and garlic powder.
- Coat Fillets
- Remove catfish from buttermilk, letting excess drip off.
- Dredge in cornmeal mixture, pressing lightly to coat evenly.
- Heat Oil
- In a large skillet, heat about ½ inch vegetable oil over medium heat until hot (around 350°F / 175°C).
- Fry Catfish
- Fry fillets 3–4 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through. Don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Drain on paper towels.
- Serve
- Serve hot with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, or your favorite sides like coleslaw or hush puppies.
🌟 Tips
- Pat fillets dry before soaking to prevent a soggy coating.
- For extra crispiness, double-dredge: dip in buttermilk again, then cornmeal mixture.
- Adjust seasoning in the coating to your taste—cayenne adds a nice kick!
If you want, I can also give an oven-baked version that’s golden and crispy without deep frying.