Catfish Pan Fried Recipes

Steps:

• Heat the peanut oil in a 5-quart Dutch oven over high heat until it reaches 350 degrees F on a deep-fry thermometer. Adjust the heat to maintain the temperature.
• Whisk the cornmeal and flour together in a shallow dish. Combine the seafood seasoning, kosher salt, paprika, and pepper in a small bowl. Season the catfish fillets evenly on both sides with the spice mixture. Pour the buttermilk into another shallow dish. Dip each fillet into the buttermilk, flip once to coat both sides, hold over the pan and allow the excess to drip off. Coat both sides of the fillets in the cornmeal mixture. Set the coated fillets on a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Gently add the fillets, 2 at a time, to the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 5 to 6 minutes. Remove the fried fillets to a cooling rack set over a newspaper-lined half sheet pan. Repeat method with remaining fillets. Arrange the catfish on a serving platter and serve immediately.

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix buttermilk, water, salt, and pepper. Pour mixture into a flat pan large enough to hold the fillets. Spread fish in one layer over bottom of pan, turning to coat each side, and set aside to marinate.
• In a 2 gallon resealable plastic bag, combine the cornmeal, flour, and seafood seasoning. Add fish to mixture, a few fillets at a time, and tumble gently to coat evenly.
• Heat oil in deep fryer to 365 degrees F (185 degrees C).
• Deep fry fillets until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Avoid overcrowding so fillets have room to brown properly. Fish should be slightly crisp outside, and moist and flaky inside. Drain on paper towels.

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, stir together cornmeal, cayenne pepper, paprika and onion powder. Mix well. Pour mixture onto a large sheet of waxed paper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Pour milk into a medium bowl. Dip catfish filets into milk and hold up and let the milk drip off. Roll the milk-soaked filet in the cornmeal mixture until completely covered. Set aside.
• Fry the garlic in the hot skillet, but do not burn. Add the coated catfish filets and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, sprinkling salt on the fish after each turn. Cook until golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork. Drain on paper towels.

Steps:

• Rinse the fillets and pat them dry with paper towels. Mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, creole seasoning, paprika, and pepper together in a shallow dish. Pour the milk into a second shallow dish. Dip the fillets into the milk and then into the cornmeal mixture, coating them well and shaking of any excess.
• Heat 1/2 the butter in a large skillet over high heat, and fry 2 of the fillets for about 3 minutes on each side, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
• Transfer the fillets to a serving platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter and fillets. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.

Steps:

• Whisk together buttermilk, mustard, Essence, garlic, and hot sauce in a small bowl. Place fillets in a shallow baking dish just large enough to hold them in an even layer. Pour buttermilk mixture over fish, making sure each fillet is evenly coated; set aside.
• In another shallow baking dish, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt.
• Working with 1 piece of fish at a time, remove from buttermilk mixture, shaking off any excess, and dredge in flour mixture to coat. Transfer to a plate and repeat process with remaining fillets.
• Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. When oil is hot, carefully add two fillets to skillet. Cook, until golden brown and crisp, about 4 minutes. Turn and continue cooking until golden brown and crisp on the second side, 3 to 4 minutes more.
• Using a fish spatula, transfer fillets to a paper towel-lined plate; repeat process with remaining 2 fillets. Serve immediately with tartar sauce, if desired, and lemon wedges.

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk the milk, mustard and hot pepper sauce together. Season the mixture with salt and cayenne. Lay the fish in the milk mixture, cover, refrigerate and marinate for 1 hour. In a pie pan, combine the flour, cornmeal and 2 teaspoons of Essence. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and drain. Dredge each fillet in the cornmeal mixture, coating each side completely. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, gently lay each fillet in the hot oil. Pan-fry the fillets for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the fish is golden brown and the meat is flaky. Remove the fillets from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season the fish with the remaining Essence. Serve the catfish with the Andouille Smothered Beans.

Steps:

• Place catfish into a shallow bowl or baking dish.
• In another smaller bowl mix all of the seasonings. Season the filets with half of the seasonings. Add the lemon juice. Turn the catfish filets several times to coat evenly. Allow to stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
• Combine the cornmeal, flour and the remaining seasoning mixture in a bowl.
• Remove the catfish filets from the marinade and dredge in the cornmeal mixture, coating evenly.
• Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the catfish and fry in batches until golden brown on both sides, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Remove the catfish from the skillet with a slotted spatula, drain on paper towels and serve.