Fried Catfish Recipe
hand-battered catfish strips served with fries and hush puppies
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Ingredients
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Catfish and Batter
Fries
Hush Puppies
Serving / Sauce
Method
Catfish and Batter
Prepare fish
Pat catfish fillets dry with paper towels. Cut into 1/2- to 3/4-inch strips for hand-battered portions. Place strips in a shallow dish.
Marinate
Whisk buttermilk and hot sauce together and pour over the catfish strips. Cover and refrigerate for 20–30 minutes (this tenderizes and flavors the fish).
Make dry mix
In a wide shallow bowl combine 1.5 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup cornmeal, 2 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp paprika, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1/2 tsp onion powder, and 1/4 tsp cayenne (if using). Mix thoroughly.
Prep wet mixture
In a second shallow bowl whisk 2 eggs with 1/4 cup milk until combined.
Heat oil
Pour 6 cups vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot or deep fryer. Heat to 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small cube of bread — it should brown in about 45–60 seconds.
Batter and fry
Remove fish from buttermilk, letting excess drip off. Dredge each strip first in the dry flour/cornmeal mixture, then dip in the egg mixture, then dredge again in the dry mix to create a hand-battered double-coating. Shake off excess. Carefully lower into hot oil in batches — do not overcrowd. Fry 3–4 minutes per batch, turning once, until golden-brown and cooked through (internal temperature ~145°F / 63°C). Use a slotted spoon or spider to transfer to a wire rack set over a baking sheet; keep warm in a 200°F (95°C) oven if needed.
Fries
Prepare potatoes
Wash and peel (optional) the potatoes. Cut into fries about 1/3–1/2 inch thick. Rinse cut fries under cold water to remove excess starch, then soak in cold water for at least 20 minutes (or up to 2 hours) to improve crispness.
Dry and dust
Drain the potatoes and pat completely dry with clean towels. Toss with 1 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1 tsp cornstarch (optional) for extra crispiness; the cornstarch helps create a thin crust.
Fry in two stages
Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in a deep pan to 325°F (165°C). Fry potatoes in batches for 3–4 minutes until tender but not colored. Remove and drain on paper towels. Increase oil temperature to 375°F (190°C) and return fries in batches; fry 2–3 minutes until golden and crisp. Drain on paper towels and season with additional salt to taste.
Hush Puppies
Make batter
In a bowl combine 1 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/2 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt. Stir in 1/4 cup finely chopped onion. Whisk 1 egg with 1/2 cup milk or buttermilk; add to dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Batter should be thick but spoonable; if too stiff, add up to 1–2 tbsp more milk.
Heat oil and fry
Heat 4 cups vegetable oil in a deep pot to 350°F (175°C). Use a small cookie scoop or two spoons to drop 1-tablespoon portions of batter into the oil. Fry in batches, turning once, until deep golden brown, about 2–3 minutes per side (total 3–4 minutes). Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.