Buttermilk Fried Catfish Fillets Recipe

If you live in or have visited the South you know that catfish is what’s reeled in, fried up and served at just about every local restaurant, but if you prefer to cook from scratch then heat things up in your kitchen with this recipe!

The first step is to marinate the catfish in the buttermilk mixture. A good 6-8 hours is recommended for the best flavor!

For frying, you will need about two inches of oil and a large skillet. It only takes about 6 minutes total to fry up a fish fillet. Two to three minutes on each side is sufficient. I would recommend frying fish in a well ventilated area. Otherwise, your house will smell like fish for awhile!

Serve buttermilk fried catfish with a side of coleslaw and rice! It really is a delicious meal that the whole family will enjoy!

Buttermilk Fried Catfish Fillets Recipe

Author: Ashley

Ingredients

2 cups buttermilk
1⁄2 tsp. hot sauce (of choice)
2 lbs. catfish fillets, boneless & skinless (approximately 6-8 fillets)
⅔ cup all purpose flour
⅔ cup yellow cornmeal
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1⁄2-1 tsp. cayenne pepper or red pepper
1⁄2 tsp. garlic powder
Oil for frying (canola, peanut or vegetable oil)

Instructions

In a large bowl mix together buttermilk and hot sauce, coat each fillet of fish and seal in a Ziploc bag or covered bowl in the fridge to marinade for 6-8 hours.
When ready to fry, remove fish from refrigerator and set aside to acclimate to room temperature while you prepare your baking and frying stations.
Heat a large skillet with 2 inches of oil over medium-high heat.
In a large shallow dish combine the flour, cornmeal salt, pepper, red pepper and garlic powder.
Working one at a time lift fillet from buttermilk marinade and let excess drip off, dredge in cornmeal mixture until evenly coated on each side then carefully place on a sheet of parchment paper and let rest for 10-15 minutes as you continue to coat the remaining fillets.
Once rested carefully place in heated oil and fry for 2-3 minutes on each side or until a deep golden brown. If the coating falls off then the oil is not hot enough and you’ll need to adjust your temperature setting.
Keep fried fillets warm in a 225 degree oven while frying if desired.
Serve & enjoy!

Make sure you check out my other easy recipes in my recipe index!

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Ashley @HowtoHaveitAll

Ashley is a happily married stay at home mom to a beautiful little girl and a little boy. Ashley and her husband come from a small town and enjoy the simple pleasures in life, like GREAT FOOD. They love to try out new recipes and experiment in the kitchen together, but also enjoy reading, painting and photography.