Soul Food Fried Catfish (Printable Version)

Crispy golden catfish with zesty Southern spices and creamy remoulade for a flavorful meal.

# Ingredient List:

→ For the Catfish

01 - 4 catfish fillets, 6 ounces each
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 teaspoon hot sauce
04 - 1 cup yellow cornmeal
05 - 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
06 - 1 teaspoon paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
12 - Vegetable oil for frying

→ For the Remoulade Sauce

13 - 1/2 cup mayonnaise
14 - 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
15 - 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
16 - 2 teaspoons hot sauce
17 - 2 teaspoons sweet pickle relish
18 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
19 - 1 small garlic clove, minced
20 - 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
21 - 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
22 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Directions:

01 - In a shallow dish, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce. Add catfish fillets and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
02 - In another shallow dish, combine cornmeal, flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Heat approximately 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F.
04 - Remove catfish fillets from the marinade, allowing excess to drip off. Dredge each fillet in the cornmeal mixture, pressing lightly to coat evenly.
05 - Fry fillets in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
06 - Mix mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, horseradish, hot sauce, pickle relish, lemon juice, garlic, smoked paprika, and parsley in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Serve fried catfish fillets hot with remoulade sauce on the side.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The cornmeal crust stays crispy for hours, which means you can actually relax instead of rushing everyone to the table.
  • That remoulade sauce tastes like you spent way more time on it than you actually did, and nobody needs to know your secret.
02 -
  • The oil temperature matters more than you might think; if it's too cool, the fish steams instead of fries, and you'll end up with soggy coating instead of crunch.
  • Don't skip the marinating step even though it seems like extra work—that buttermilk is doing essential work, making the fish tender and helping the coating stick.
03 -
  • A thermometer is your best friend here; guessing at oil temperature leads to disappointment and greasy fish more often than not.
  • Make the remoulade while the oil heats so everything comes together at the right moment, hot fish meeting cool creamy sauce.
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