Oh yes 😄 crispy, fiery, Southern-style comfort food coming right up 🔥🐟
Here’s a Spicy Fried Catfish that’s crunchy on the outside, tender inside, and packed with flavor.
🔥 Spicy Fried Catfish
Ingredients
🐟 Fish
- 4 catfish fillets
- 1 cup buttermilk (or milk + 1 tbsp vinegar)
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional, but recommended)
🌶️ Seasoning
- 1 tsp paprika
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (adjust heat)
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp salt
🌽 Coating
- 1 cup yellow cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
🛢️ For Frying
- Vegetable, peanut, or canola oil
👩🍳 Instructions
1. Soak the Fish
- Mix buttermilk and hot sauce.
- Soak catfish fillets 20–30 minutes (removes any muddy taste).
2. Prepare the Coating
- In a bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, and all seasonings.
- Mix well.
3. Coat the Catfish
- Remove fillets from buttermilk, let excess drip off.
- Dredge thoroughly in cornmeal mixture.
4. Fry
- Heat oil to 350°F (175°C) in a skillet or fryer.
- Fry fillets 3–4 minutes per side until golden and crispy.
- Drain on paper towels.
🍋 Serve With
- Lemon wedges
- Hot sauce
- Coleslaw
- Hush puppies
- Fries or cornbread
⭐ Tips for Extra Crunch
- Let coated fish rest 5 minutes before frying
- Don’t overcrowd the pan
- Keep oil hot for crispiness
🔥 Heat Level Variations
- Extra spicy: add chili powder or crushed red pepper
- Cajun-style: swap seasoning for Cajun spice blend
- Air fryer: 400°F for 10–12 minutes, flip halfway
If you want, I can share:
- Nashville hot catfish
- Oven-baked spicy version
- Cornmeal-only ultra-crispy style
Just tell me 😋🐟
