Crispy Fried Catfish (No Cornmeal)
This is the fried catfish recipe my family asks for. It's crisp, golden, and not a speck of cornmeal in it. Flour and cornstarch give you a crust thin enough to taste the fish through.
Ingredients
- 1 pound catfish, skinless and trimmed of fat
- oil for frying (canola oil, peanut oil, or other high smoke point oil)
For the Breading
- ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
- ⅔ cup cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons dried thyme
- 2 teaspoons dried oregano
- 2 teaspoons ground black pepper
- 1 ½ teaspoons smoked paprika
- ¾ teaspoons garlic powder
- ¾ teaspoons onion powder
- ½ teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning after cooking
For the Egg Wash
- 3 eggs
- ¼ cup milk or buttermilk
Instructions
- Add a few inches of vegetable oil to a large, high-sided frying pan or fill your deep fryer to the manufacturer's recommendations.
- Heat the temperature of the oil to 350 degrees F.
- Add all of the breading ingredients to a bowl. Stir until combined and set aside.
- In another bowl, add the eggs and milk. Whisk until they are smooth and combined.
- Coat the catfish pieces in the flour mixture.
- Dip the catfish into the egg wash mixture. Then, dredge fish with the flour mixture one last time.
- Cook until golden brown on both sides and cooked through.
- Place on a wire rack fitted with a baking sheet or lined with paper towels to let the excess oil drip. Season immediately with fine-grain salt.
- Serve warm with hot sauce, tartar sauce and lemon wedges.
NOTES
- Dipping Sauce: Try serving with my homemade Southern tartar sauce.
- Regulate the oil temperature: Hold the oil at 350°F. If it drops, the crust can turn soft and greasy. Fry in small batches, letting the oil recover between batches.
- Don't trap steam: After frying, rest catfish on a wire rack (not paper towels) so the crust stays crisp. Salt immediately.
- Make-ahead breading: Bread the fish up to 2-3 hours ahead, keep on a rack in the fridge, uncovered.
- Avoid muddy flavor: Trim any visible catfish fat before breading.
Nutrition
Calories: 333kcal | Carbohydrates: 39g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 190mg | Sodium: 406mg | Potassium: 552mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 671IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 89mg | Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation. Nutrition is per serving.
Make this recipe?Mention @Larry__White or tag #WildGameGourmet!