Soul Food Fried Catfish (Printer-friendly)

Crispy catfish fillets seasoned with Southern spices, served with a tangy remoulade sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ 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 black 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 to tenderize and infuse with flavor.
02 - In another shallow dish, combine cornmeal, flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly to distribute seasonings evenly.
03 - Heat approximately 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F, maintaining consistent temperature throughout cooking.
04 - Remove catfish fillets from the marinade, allowing excess buttermilk to drip off. Dredge each fillet in the cornmeal mixture, pressing lightly to ensure even coating.
05 - Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, fry fillets for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
06 - In a bowl, combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, horseradish, hot sauce, sweet pickle relish, lemon juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, and fresh parsley. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir until fully incorporated.
07 - Plate fried catfish fillets while hot and serve with remoulade sauce on the side for dipping.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The cornmeal crust gets impossibly crispy while the fish stays tender inside, like you've unlocked some hidden kitchen cheat code.
  • That remoulade sauce is tangy, bold, and bold enough to make plain fish feel like a celebration.
02 -
  • If your oil temperature drops below 325°F, the fish will soak up oil instead of frying up crispy—a mistake that haunted me until I finally bought a thermometer.
  • Double-dipping the fillets (back in buttermilk, then back in coating) gives you an extra-crunchy shell that makes people notice the difference immediately.
03 -
  • Pat your fish completely dry before it hits the buttermilk—any surface moisture will make the coating slip off in the oil.
  • Let your oil recover for a minute or two between batches so the temperature stays stable and each fillet gets the same golden treatment.
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