Fried Catfish

Source: Simply Recipes

Click here to read about my experience making this recipe for my state meal challenge!

Servings: 6

Total time: 30 minutes

INGREDIENTS

• 6 (6 oz) catfish fillets (cut into strips if desired)
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp Frank’s hot sauce
• 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
• ½ cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp ground paprika
• 1 tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• Oil for frying

DIRECTIONS

• Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
• Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and put a rack in the pan.
• Put the catfish in a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate. Pour the buttermilk and hot sauce over the fish. 
• Pour about 2 inches of oil in a deep cast-iron pan or Dutch oven and heat the pan over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F. 
• In another shallow bowl or pie plate, combine all the dry ingredients.
• Dredge the buttermilk-covered fish in the cornflour mixture, coating thoroughly and shaking off any excess. Set them on the cooling rack to rest for 10 minutes before frying.
• Fry the catfish fillets two at a time until golden brown, about 4 to 5 minutes each side.
• After frying, put the fish on the baking sheet rack and put in the oven to keep warm until all the fillets are ready to serve.
• Salt and serve with tartar sauce and coleslaw! 

NOTES

• If you don’t have buttermilk, you can substitute it with 1 Tbs white vinegar for 1 cup whole milk.