Louisiana Fried Catfish Lemon (Printable Version)
Crispy catfish coated in seasoned cornmeal, fried golden and served with fresh lemon wedges for a bright touch.
# What You Need:
→ Fish
01 - 4 catfish fillets (about 5 ounces each)
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 tablespoon hot sauce
→ Breading
04 - 1 cup 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
→ For Frying
12 - 2 cups vegetable oil
→ To Serve
13 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# How-To Steps:
01 - Pat catfish fillets completely dry with paper towels to ensure better breading adherence.
02 - Whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce in a shallow dish. Add catfish fillets, turning to coat thoroughly. Marinate for 10 minutes at room temperature.
03 - Combine cornmeal, flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and black pepper in a separate shallow dish until well blended.
04 - Pour vegetable oil into a large skillet or deep fryer. Heat to 350°F, maintaining temperature throughout frying process.
05 - Remove catfish from buttermilk mixture, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Press each fillet firmly into cornmeal mixture, coating completely on all sides.
06 - Fry fillets in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown with crispy coating and fish reaches internal temperature of 145°F. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
07 - Arrange fried catfish on serving platter. Garnish with fresh lemon wedges and chopped parsley. Serve immediately while hot and crispy.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The cornmeal crust achieves that perfect crunch Louisiana kitchens are famous for
- Buttermilk keeps the fish incredibly tender inside while creating maximum seasoning adherence
02 -
- Oil temperature drops when adding cold fish, so let it recover between batches
- Overcrowding the pan makes the coating soggy instead of crisp
03 -
- Double-dipping creates that restaurant-style extra thick crust
- Tilapia or pollock work beautifully if catfish isn't available