Southern · main

Cornmeal-Crusted Fried Catfish

Cornmeal-Crusted Fried Catfish reads citrus 6.1, sourness 6.1 and fruity 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Southern main, about 46 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.9 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.7 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.9 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.4 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.5 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Citrus 6.1 · Sourness 6.1 · Fruity 4.9 · Salinity 4.0 · Heat 4.0 · Richness 3.9 · Umami 3.7 · Allium 3.1 · Marine & Briny 2.9 · Sweetness 2.6 · Warm Spice 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.1 · Nutty 1.6 · Floral 1.2 · Earthy 1.2 · Bitterness 1.1 · Herbaceous 0.7

What's in it (13)

• catfish fillets — 680 g
• buttermilk — 237 g
• hot sauce — 15 g
• yellow corn meal — 237 g
• all-purpose flour — 60 g
• salt — 10 g
• black pepper — 5 g
• paprika — 5 g
• cayenne pepper — 3 g
• garlic — 3 g
• onion powder — 3 g
• vegetable oil — 653 g
• lemon — 65 g

Time & effort: about 46 min (16 min active) · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 197.6 kcal, 9.7 g protein, 9.1 g fat, 19.1 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Whisk the buttermilk and hot sauce together in a shallow dish. Add the catfish fillets, turn to coat, cover, and refrigerate to marinate, 20-30 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, whisk the cornmeal, flour, salt, black pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder together in a wide shallow dish until evenly combined.
3. Lift each fillet from the buttermilk, letting the excess drip off, then press it into the cornmeal mixture on both sides until fully and evenly coated.
4. Set the coated fillets on a wire rack and let them rest uncovered at room temperature so the crust sets, about 10 minutes.
5. Pour the oil into a large cast-iron or heavy skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch and heat over medium-high heat until it reaches 350 F; a pinch of cornmeal dropped in should sizzle immediately.
6. Lay 2 fillets at a time in the hot oil without crowding the pan and fry until deeply golden and crisp on the first side, 3-4 minutes.
7. Flip and fry until deeply golden on the second side and the fish flakes easily and reaches 145 F in the thickest part, 3-4 minutes more. Transfer to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining 2 fillets, letting the oil come back to 350 F between batches.
8. Transfer the fillets to a clean wire rack set over a baking sheet and season immediately with a pinch of salt while still hot.
9. Serve right away with lemon wedges for squeezing over the top.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Fried Catfish — Southern
• Crispy Cajun Fried Shrimp with Remoulade — Cajun/Creole
• Cajun Blackened Catfish — Southern
• Blackened Redfish (Catfish or Snapper) — Cajun/Creole · Cajun
• Louisiana BBQ Shrimp in Garlic Butter — Cajun/Creole

Keep reading: what citrus, sourness, fruity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.