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Catfish Bites with Beer Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Snacks" by Perre Coleman Magness


Recipe Introduction

"The fried catfish basket is perhaps the most iconic (and only) seafood-related dish in the landlocked parts of the South, particularly Mississippi, where the landscape is now dotted with commercial catfish farms. Fried is the best way to eat catfish, and serving it in little dippable nuggets makes a perfect snack. Oh, and it never hurts to dip them in beer."

List of Ingredients

For the Fish:
◦  2 pounds catfish fillets
◦  2 cups whole buttermilk
◦  1 Tbsp hot sauce (such as Crystal)
◦  1½ cups yellow cornmeal
◦  ⅔ cup all-purpose flour
◦  2 tsp kosher salt
◦  2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
◦  Vegetable oil for frying

For the Beer Sauce:
◦  1 (1.38-ounce) jar dry mustard (½ cup)
◦  ½ cup beer, preferably lager
◦  3 green onions, white and light green parts, chopped
◦  1 Tbsp Worcestershire sauce
◦  1 Tbsp hot sauce (such as Crystal)
◦  2 cups mayonnaise, preferably Duke's


Recipe

For the catfish, cut the fish fillets into 1-inch chunks and place in a large zip-top bag. Pour over the buttermilk and add the hot sauce. Squish everything around to blend and coat the catfish. Place the bag on a plate to catch any drips, then refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight.

When ready to cook, line a rimmed baking sheet with paper towels and place a wire rack on top. Pour the catfish pieces into a colander and leave to drain for about 15 minutes. Pour 2 inches of oil into a deep, heavy pot and attach a candy thermometer. Heat over medium-high heat to 360° F.

Place the cornmeal, flour, salt, and pepper into a large zip-top plastic bag and shake to combine. Drop a handful of the catfish pieces into the coating and shake to coat each piece thoroughly.

Drop the fish into the oil a chunk at a time, being sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until the fish is browned and floats to the top, about 4 minutes, then remove to the wire rack. Repeat with the remaining chunks. You can keep the fish warm in a 225° F oven for 15 minutes before serving if needed.

For the beer sauce, put the mustard and the beer in the carafe of a blender. Blend for a few seconds to combine. Drop in the onion pieces, add the Worcestershire, hot sauce, and mayonnaise, and blend until completely smooth and combined. Transfer to a bowl, cover, and refrigerate for several hours. This is best made a day ahead but can be made up to 3 days in advance.


Serves 6 to 8