Soul Food Fried Catfish (Printable Version)

Crispy catfish fillets seasoned Southern-style with a flavorful 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 chopped fresh parsley
22 - Salt and pepper to taste

# How to Prepare:

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 flavor.
02 - In another shallow dish, combine cornmeal, flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. Stir well to distribute spices evenly.
03 - Heat approximately 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F (175°C). Allow oil to reach proper temperature for optimal frying.
04 - Remove catfish fillets from the marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Dredge each fillet in the cornmeal mixture, pressing lightly to coat evenly on all sides.
05 - Fry fillets in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
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 for dipping or topping.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • The crust shatters between your teeth while the fish inside stays impossibly tender and moist.
  • That remoulade sauce is tangy, spicy, and a little bit creamy all at once, making every forkful taste like celebration.
  • This meal comes together faster than you'd expect, but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
02 -
  • If your oil temperature drops too much when you add the fish, it soaks up grease instead of crisping, so don't crowd the pan and give it time to bounce back between batches.
  • The double-dip method actually works; returning the fillets to buttermilk and dredging again creates a thicker, crunchier crust that holds up beautifully.
03 -
  • If you want extra crunch, double-dip your fillets by returning them to the buttermilk after the first dredge, then coating them again in the cornmeal mixture before frying.
  • Keep your oil at a steady temperature by using a thermometer and letting it recover between batches instead of dropping in fillets back-to-back.
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