Fried Catfish Filets
Each May the small town of Ware Shoals, South Carolina celebrates the Catfish Festival. It's a time for the community to come together, reconnect with old friends, enjoy a small-town parade, vendors, local music, and to eat the most delicious catfish!
I grew up eating catfish that my Dad often caught during late night fishing trips on Lake Murray or the Congaree River. (Yes! You catch catfish at night!)
Some say catfish is an acquired taste but I love it! If you love a good fish fry or even if you are not sure if you like catfish, I encourage you to give this recipe a try.
And I’ll let you in on a little secret. The magic ingredient that makes this a crispy southern delight is soaking it in buttermilk!
And after it’s fried to flaky, light perfection, try serving it with Duke's Tartar Sauce for the perfect finishing touch!
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 40 minutes
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients:
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup water
Salt & pepper to taste
2lbs catfish fillets cut into strips
3 cups cornmeal
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable oil
Instructions:
Add buttermilk, water, salt and pepper to a medium mixing bowl.
Place catfish filets in the bowl to marinate, covering with the mixture.
Place bowl in the refrigerator for 20 minutes, or up to overnight to marinate.
Next, heat your oil in a large frying pan or deep fryer to 365 degrees F.
Add the flour, cornmeal & Old Bay seasoning to a large Ziploc bag. Add catfish filets to the bag and gently tumble until the filets are evenly coated.
Gently drop each filet into hot oil and fry for 3 minutes or until crisp and golden brown.
Drain on a paper towel.
Serve warm with tartar sauce.
*PRO TIP! >> Fry in small batches! Crowding the pan will bring the oil temperature down and prevent crispiness.
