Louisiana Fried Catfish Lemon (Printable version)
Crispy fried catfish coated in seasoned cornmeal, served with fresh lemon wedges for a zesty touch.
# What You'll 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 - ½ cup all-purpose flour
06 - 1 teaspoon paprika
07 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
08 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
09 - ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
10 - 1 teaspoon salt
11 - ½ teaspoon black pepper
→ For Frying
12 - 2 cups vegetable oil
→ To Serve
13 - 1 lemon, cut into wedges
14 - Fresh parsley, chopped
# Directions:
01 - Pat catfish fillets dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
02 - In a shallow dish, whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce. Add catfish fillets, turning to coat completely. Let marinate for 10 minutes.
03 - In a separate shallow dish, combine cornmeal, flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper. Mix thoroughly.
04 - Pour vegetable oil into a large skillet or deep fryer. Heat to 350°F.
05 - Remove catfish from buttermilk marinade, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Press each fillet into the cornmeal mixture, coating both sides evenly and pressing lightly to adhere.
06 - Fry fillets in batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side until golden brown and cooked through. Transfer to paper towels to drain excess oil.
07 - Arrange fried catfish on serving plates. Garnish with fresh lemon wedges and chopped parsley.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The cornmeal crust creates this incredible shatter-crisp texture that's impossible to achieve with flour alone
- That buttermilk soak keeps the catfish ridiculously tender while the outside gets perfectly crunchy
- These fillets fry up in minutes, meaning dinner's on the table faster than you can set out the tartar sauce
02 -
- Don't crowd the pan or your oil temperature will drop and you'll end up with soggy, greasy fish
- The cornmeal coating will continue to crisp for about 30 seconds after you pull it from the oil, so don't overcook
- Buttermilk is not optional here—regular milk won't give you the same tenderizing effect or tangy depth
03 -
- Set up your breading station left to right: fish, buttermilk, coating, then a clean plate for the finished fillets
- Season the fish immediately after frying while it's still hot—that's when the salt really sticks