Crispy Southern Fried Catfish

5 from 6 votes

Crispy Southern Fried Catfish is easy to make and is of restaurant quality. Tender fillets lightly breaded and fried till golden. If you're looking for a great fried fish recipe, this is the one.

Prep Time10

Cook Time10

Course: dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Southern

Servings: servings

Calories: 1371kcal

Author: Gina Abernathy

Ingredients

4-6 (6 oz.) catfish fillets
1½ cups buttermilk
2 cups cornmeal
¾ cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon paprika
½ teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon lemon pepper seasoning
¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
oil for frying vegetable oil or peanut oil

Instructions

Place fillets in a shallow dish and cover with buttermilk. Place into the refrigerator and soak while you prepare the cornmeal mixture and the oil for frying.
Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, paprika, pepper, lemon pepper and cayenne in a zip-top bag and shake to mix the seasonings.
Heat about 1" of oil in a cast iron or heavy skillet. Heat to 350 degrees over medium-high heat.
Remove the catfish from the refrigerator. Then, remove each piece ( 1 at a time) from the buttermilk allowing the milk to drip off.
Place one piece at a time into the bag with the seasoned flour. Toss gently to coat evenly.
Carefully place 2-3 pieces at a time into the hot oil. Work in batches so as not to crowd the pan. (This will lower the heat and make the fish soggy). Fry fish for about 4-6 minutes on each side until golden brown and cooked through the middle. This time will depend on the thickness and size of your fish.
Drain. Place the wire rack over a baking sheet lined with paper towels or place the fish on a paper towel-lined plate.

Notes

TIP: Once you place your fish into the hot oil, leave it alone. Moving it around will cause the batter to fall off.

Nutrition