Southern Fried Catfish Nuggets 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:

• Place the catfish pieces into a mixing bowl and sprinkle with thyme leaves. Toss until the catfish is evenly coated with the thyme. Mix in the mustard with your hands. Cover, and refrigerate overnight, up to 24 hours.
• Heat oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Whisk the flour, salt, black pepper, and baking soda together in a mixing bowl.
• Dip the catfish pieces one at a time into the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Fry the catfish nuggets in batches until they are no longer translucent in the center and are golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches. Drain the nuggets on a paper towel-lined plate before serving.

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:

• Put oil in a skillet until it is halfway up or you can use a deep fryer, a deep fryer is actually best for these. Heat until hot or if using skillet use medium high heat.
• In a large bowl beat egg with a fork, add buttermilk to it. Beat again to incorporate.
• In another big bowl put cornmeal and seasonings to taste.
• Rinse nuggets and dip into milk mixture, depending on how many you have you could probably fit them all in at one time.
• Take a few out of the milk and dip in to the cornmeal, roll around to get it coated good, then put into oil.
• If using skillet put them in until skillet is full. fry 3 minutes, turn and fry another 2-3 minutes. If using a deep fryer fry 5 minutes, about halfway through stir them around to break up any that might have clumped together. They are done when golden brown and flake easily with a fork.

Steps:

• In a bowl, add the 2 cups milk and a heavy pinch of salt. Whisk to dissolve and add the fish chunks. Allow to soak at room temperature for 30 minutes.
• Set up the dredging station: In the first bowl, add 1 cup flour. In the second bowl, whisk the eggs and add the remaining 2 tablespoons milk. In the third bowl, add the remaining 1 cup flour, the cornmeal, sugar and a pinch of salt followed by a few grinds of pepper.
• In a frying pan with straight sides, add enough oil to fill 1-inch deep. Heat until the oil begins to swirl and the handle of a wooden spoon begins to sizzle as soon as it hits the oil. The oil will be about 350 degrees F.
• Remove the fish from the milk in batches of 6 to 8 chunks. Shake the excess milk off the fish. Dredge in the flour, then the egg wash and then in the flour and cornmeal mixture. Add the batch to the oil, making sure to not overcrowd the pan and bring down the temperature. Fry, flipping once if needed, until a light golden brown and cooked through, about 6 minutes. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and season with a sprinkle of salt. Repeat until all the fish chunks are done.
• In a small bowl, add the hot sauce and sift the sugar on top. Gently stir together. Drizzle over the nuggets or dunk them in the sauce.