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Fried Catfish

Source of Recipe

From "Mastering the Art of Southern Cooking" by Nathalie Dupree


Recipe Introduction

"There is a rhythm to battering and frying catfish—shake, drop, toss, and move—that is beautiful to watch. There are still extraordinarily popular rural fried catfish restaurants, although I know almost no one who still fries it at home. I frequent several—one in an old mill village outside Covington, Georgia, as well as one in Social Circle, Georgia, and a grocery outside of Oxford, Mississippi. (The one outside Covington still fries chitterlings on Friday nights.) This bottom-feeding freshwater fish is not noted for its beauty, but those that love it, love it."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 12 catfish fillets
â—¦ 2 cups buttermilk
â—¦ 2 cups white cornmeal
â—¦ 1 teaspoon salt
â—¦ 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ Shortening or vegetable oil for frying



Recipe

Rinse and pat the fish dry with paper towels. Soak the catfish in the buttermilk for at least 30 minutes or as long as overnight.

Mix cornmeal, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Shake off the catfish fillets and drop into the bowl, one at a time, tossing in the mixture until coated, using only one hand and keeping the other hand available for maneuvering the bowl.

Pour 1 ½ inches of oil into a skillet, or fill a deep-fryer half full with oil; heat to 360 degrees.

Measure the thickness of the catfish. Add the catfish fillets, one by one. The fat should cover the fish. For each inch of thickness, fry 4 minutes, until golden brown. The fish is done when its thickest part registers approximately 135 degrees on an instant-read thermometer. Avoid adding too many fillets at once, as they will lower the frying temperature. Drain on a paper towel. Move to a warm platter and serve hot.

Serves 6