Soul Food Fried Catfish (Printer-friendly)

Crispy fried catfish fillets served alongside a zesty remoulade sauce with Southern spice notes.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# Directions:

01 - Whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce in a shallow dish. Submerge catfish fillets and marinate for at least 15 minutes.
02 - Combine cornmeal, flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in another shallow dish.
03 - Heat approximately 1 inch of vegetable oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F.
04 - Remove marinated catfish from buttermilk mixture, allowing excess liquid to drain. Dredge each fillet thoroughly in the cornmeal mixture, pressing gently to ensure even coating.
05 - Working in batches, fry coated fillets for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and internal temperature reaches 145°F. Transfer to paper towel-lined plate.
06 - Combine mayonnaise, Dijon mustard, horseradish, hot sauce, pickle relish, lemon juice, minced garlic, smoked paprika, and parsley in a mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
07 - Arrange hot fried catfish fillets on serving plates and accompany with remoulade sauce on the side.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The crust gets impossibly crispy while the fish stays tender and buttery inside, a textural contrast that never gets old.
  • Homemade remoulade sauce tastes so much brighter than anything store-bought, with a little kick that makes people ask for the recipe.
  • It comes together faster than takeout, but tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen.
02 -
  • Oil temperature is everything—too cool and your fish absorbs grease instead of getting crispy; too hot and the outside burns before the inside cooks through.
  • The double-dip trick truly works: returning fillets to buttermilk and coating again before frying creates an extra-crunchy shell that people will talk about.
  • Don't crowd the pan when frying—each fillet needs space to cook and crisp properly, so work in batches even if it takes a few extra minutes.
03 -
  • Let your oil come fully back to temperature between batches—dropping cold fish into oil that's cooled down is where most home cooks go wrong.
  • Make your remoulade sauce while the oil heats, so it's ready to serve the moment the last fillet hits the plate.
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