This easy southern fried catfish recipe is dredged in seasoned cornmeal breading and fried to tender and crispy perfection! Salty, flaky, crunchy, with just the right amount of spice! There isn’t much better than a hot and crispy piece of fish!
Rinse and pat dry your catfish (it needs to be fully thawed if it was frozen).
Cut your catfish filets into thirds, if desired, but this isn’t necessary.
Add the buttermilk and eggs in a medium bowl and whisk well. Place the fish fillets into the buttermilk mixture and let it sit while you mix the dry ingredients.
In a separate medium bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, and Cajun seasoning. Mix well.
Remove the fish fillets from the buttermilk mixture and dredge in the cornmeal mixture until fully coated. Shake off any excess breading and place on a wire rack while you repeat with the remaining fish.
Place the wire rack in the fridge to chill while you heat the oil, about 10-15 minutes.
Start heating your oil in a cast iron skillet to medium or medium/high. It needs to be about 350 F and about 2-3 inches deep.
When the oil is hot, gently drop 2 to 3 pieces of catfish at a time into your oil. Fry for about 6-9 minutes or until they start to float and look golden brown. The internal temperature should be 340 F.
Place on a wire cooling rack to allow for the crispiest fish.
Notes
If your cornmeal mixture is getting lumpy and won’t stick to your fish, add a touch more cornmeal and a dash of cajun seasoning and it should fix the issue. Do not drop your catfish in cold or not fully heated oil. This will cause it to soak up a bunch of oil and not cook properly. Plus, it will turn out soggy and gross. If you drop the catfish in the oil and it doesn’t immediately start to give a good sizzle, remove it and wait for the oil to get hotter. You can always check your oil temperature for the best results. It should be no less than 350 degrees. Once it hits that temperature, you’re good to start dropping the fish in the pan. You don’t have to use a cast iron skillet. If you have another frying option, go ahead and use that. However, you’ll want to note that cooking times may differ.