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Catfish Fried in Bacon Fat

Source of Recipe

From "Real Cajun" by Donald Link


Recipe Introduction

"I don't know if it's a Southern thing, or a holdover from another era, but when I was a kid it seemed that everyone had a coffee can full of bacon grease under the sink. The first time I saw one I was confused—it's not a pretty sight—but saving bacon fat makes perfect sense to me now. People tend to be wary of cooking with bacon fat (whenever I save it at home it tends to disappear; I think my wife feels it's bad for me), but to me it's one of the best things in the world. If you're cooking bacon anyway, it's free and it makes other foods taste delicious. Grandad Adams prepared catfish this way all the time at the lake, using the fresh fish he caught on his catfish lines. With a ready supply of white cornmeal and bacon grease (from the coffee can under the sink), it was a cheap and satisfying meal. It's easy to find farmed catfish in most stores, but if you can get your hands on freshly caught river or lake fish, they are definitely better. Some people have an aversion to catfish, or even think it tastes like dirt. I never understood that one. I think that we have become so accustomed to bland, tasteless farm-raised fish that we avoid fish with character. This preparation works best in a cast-iron skillet. If you don't have one, I suggest that you go out immediately and buy one. Mine is a cherished possession—and the one and only piece of kitchen equipment I dug out of my flooded house after Katrina. The spice level that I've suggested is a good starting point. I like my catfish extra spicy, so I would add even more cayenne and black pepper. My favorite condiment here is a really spicy cocktail sauce with lots of lemon and horseradish, but tartar sauce is also a good choice. In the best of all possible worlds, you'll have a bit of both on your plate."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 cup white cornmeal
â—¦ â…“ cup all-purpose flour
â—¦ 1 tablespoon salt
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper, or more to taste
â—¦ ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
â—¦ â…› teaspoon ground white pepper
â—¦ 2 (12-ounce) catfish fillets, sliced into 2-inch chunks
â—¦ 6 tablespoons rendered bacon fat



Recipe

Whisk together the cornmeal and flour in a large bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together the salt, black pepper, cayenne, and white pepper. Sprinkle the catfish with the seasonings and allow the fish to "marinate" for at least 10 minutes at room temperature, or cover with plastic and refrigerate even longer (up to one day is fine). This step will make the fish "sweat," giving it some moisture for the flour to cling to.

When you're ready to cook, toss the catfish pieces with the cornmeal mixture. Transfer the catfish pieces to a plate or baking sheet, dusting off excess flour.

Heat the bacon fat in a medium skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle a bit of cornmeal in the fat to test the heat: It will be hot enough when there is an instant foam and a nice sizzle. Add half of the fillets, dropping the fish away from you so you don't splatter yourself, and cook until evenly golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the first batch with a slotted spatula, drain them on paper towels, and immediately add the second batch and repeat. I like to give the fillets an extra grinding of black pepper when they come out of the fat.

Serve the fried fish immediately, with your favorite coleslaw and spicy cocktail sauce.

Serves 4