Southern Fried Catfish

5 from 1 vote

This southern fried catfish is perfectly seasoned with spices, coated in cornmeal, and fried til golden brown.

Prep Time15

Cook Time4

Total Time19

Course: Entree

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 234kcal

Preheat a deep fryer or a Dutch oven with 4 inches of oil up the sides to 350°F.
Pat the catfish filets dry with paper towels and set them aside.
In a small bowl, stir together the old bay, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
Season the fish on both sides with the spices.
In a large shallow bowl, stir together the rest of the seasoning mix, flour, and cornmeal.
In another large shallow bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk, and hot sauce.
One at a time, place a filet into the flour mixture and coat the fish in the flour. Shake off the excess.
Place it into the egg mixture until coated, and let the excess drip off.
Lastly, place it back into the flour mixture and coat well. Let the excess shake off and place it on a sheet tray. Repeat with the remaining filets.
When ready to fry, gently add 1 filet at a time to the fryer and fry for 3-4 minutes until golden brown and an internal temperature reaches 145°F. Flip if needed.
Place the fried catfish on a paper towel-lined plate to soak up any excess oil, and then place it on a sheet tray with a wire rack on top. This will help keep the fish crispy.
Repeat with the remaining filet and serve with lemon wedges and sauce of your choice.

Make sure to pat the filets dry so the coating sticks to them properly without sliding off. I like to pat them dry with a paper towel on both sides.
These cook super quickly, so keep an eye on them! I used a deep fryer and cooked the cat fish fillets for 3-4 minutes total, but if you don't have a deep fryer, I recommend cooking them for 2-3 minutes on each side or until it reaches an internal temperature of 145 degrees F.
When the fish come out of the fryer, allow them to sit for 2-3 minutes before eating. Feel free to season with extra salt, if needed.