Crispy Fried Catfish with Hot Sauce
Golden, crunchy catfish fillets finished with a tangy hot sauce drizzle. Ready in 20 minutes—the weeknight Southern dinner that actually tastes homemade.
- Total time
- 20 min
- Servings
- 2
- Calories
- 520
- Protein
- 38g
Ingredients
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Open the appInstructions
Step 1
Pat catfish dry with paper towels. Mix flour, cornmeal, cayenne, salt, and black pepper in a shallow bowl.
Step 2
Heat 0.5 inch neutral oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
Step 3
Coat each fillet in the flour mixture, shaking off excess. Slide into hot oil and fry 4 minutes without moving.
Step 4
Flip gently and fry another 3 minutes until edges are golden and fish flakes easily with a fork.
Step 5
Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels. Whisk hot sauce with melted butter in a small bowl.
Step 6
Drizzle catfish with hot-butter sauce and squeeze fresh lemon over top. Serve immediately.
Tools you’ll need
- large cast iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan (12-inch)
- shallow bowl
- small bowl
- tongs or fish spatula
- paper towels
- instant-read thermometer (optional, for oil temp check)
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