Soul Food Fried Catfish (Printable)

Golden fried catfish fillets paired with a tangy homemade remoulade sauce bursting with Southern spices.

# What You'll Need:

→ Catfish Coating

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

→ 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

# How-To Steps:

01 - In a shallow dish, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce. Add catfish fillets and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
02 - In another shallow dish, combine cornmeal, flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper.
03 - Heat approximately 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F.
04 - Remove catfish fillets from marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Dredge each fillet in the cornmeal mixture, pressing lightly to ensure even coating.
05 - Fry fillets in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
06 - Mix mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, horseradish, hot sauce, pickle relish, lemon juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, and parsley in a bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Serve fried catfish fillets hot with remoulade sauce on the side.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The double-dip trick gives you a shatteringly crispy crust that stays crunchy even after it cools down.
  • Homemade remoulade tastes nothing like store-bought, and it comes together in the time it takes the oil to heat.
  • This dish impresses people without requiring fancy ingredients or complicated techniques, which is honestly the best kind of cooking.
02 -
  • Don't skip the marinating step, because it makes the difference between decent catfish and unforgettably tender catfish that people ask you about weeks later.
  • The double-dip technique of re-marinating and re-dredging fillets before frying creates a second, crispier layer that makes this dish genuinely special instead of just good.
  • If your oil temperature drops when you add the fish, wait until it comes back up before adding more fillets, or you'll end up with greasy results.
03 -
  • Use a meat thermometer if you're nervous, because catfish is done when it reaches 145°F internally, which takes the guesswork out of frying.
  • Save your oil after frying by straining it through cheesecloth once it cools, and you can reuse it one or two more times for frying before it starts to taste tired.
  • Toast your cornmeal in a dry skillet for a minute before mixing it with flour and spices, and you'll unlock a nuttier flavor that makes people ask your recipe every single time.
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