Best 7 Light And Crispy Pan Fried Catfish Recipes

PAN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Rinse the fillets and pat them dry with paper towels. Mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, creole seasoning, paprika, and pepper together in a shallow dish. Pour the milk into a second shallow dish. Dip the fillets into the milk and then into the cornmeal mixture, coating them well and shaking of any excess.
• Heat 1/2 the butter in a large skillet over high heat, and fry 2 of the fillets for about 3 minutes on each side, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
• Transfer the fillets to a serving platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter and fillets. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.

TODD RICHARDS'S FRIED CATFISH WITH HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Combine the buttermilk, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce, granulated garlic, granulated onion and 1 teaspoon each of the salt and black pepper in a large bowl or large resealable plastic freezer bag. Add catfish pieces; cover or seal and refrigerate for 2 to 8 hours.
• Whisk together the cornmeal, cayenne and remaining 3 teaspoons salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a shallow dish or pie pan.
• Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet to 350 degrees over medium heat.
• Remove the catfish from the buttermilk mixture and dredge in the cornmeal. Let stand 5 minutes.
• Fry the catfish (large pieces first), in batches, until golden brown, 3 to 4 minutes per side. Drain on a plate lined with paper towels. Serve with additional hot sauce.

PAN FRIED CATFISH FILETS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, stir together cornmeal, cayenne pepper, paprika and onion powder. Mix well. Pour mixture onto a large sheet of waxed paper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Pour milk into a medium bowl. Dip catfish filets into milk and hold up and let the milk drip off. Roll the milk-soaked filet in the cornmeal mixture until completely covered. Set aside.
• Fry the garlic in the hot skillet, but do not burn. Add the coated catfish filets and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, sprinkling salt on the fish after each turn. Cook until golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork. Drain on paper towels.

SO GOOD PANFRIED CATFISH (MAKEOVER)

Steps:

• In shallow dish, beat egg and hot pepper sauce until well mixed. In another shallow dish, stir cornmeal, paprika, pepper, salt, onion powder and seafood seasoning until blended.
• Dip each piece of fish into egg mixture, then coat with cornmeal mixture.
• In 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Add fish; cook 4 to 8 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily with fork and is brown on both sides. Drain on paper towels. (To keep underside of fish crisp, immediately place fish on cooling rack until serving time.) Squeeze lemon juice over fish.

QUICK PAN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• In shallow bowl, stir together Bisquick mix, cornmeal and seafood seasoning. Pat catfish fillets dry with paper towels; brush both sides of fillets with dressing. Coat with Bisquick mixture, lightly pressing mixture onto fillets.
• In 10-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high heat. Cook catfish in hot oil 6 to 10 minutes, turning once, until fish flakes easily with fork. Serve immediately with lemon.

PAT'S PAN-FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Dry your catfish filets with paper towels.
• Pour 1 cup of the flour on a plate and "dust" the filets and set them aside on another plate for about half an hour. (This process helps to keep the coating on the fish as they fry).
• Next, heat the shortening in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Set up a shallow medium-sized bowl and a dinner plate for "drenching" and "dredging" the fillets.
• In the bowl, break the eggs and beat them a bit, then add the buttermilk and the lemon juice and whisk these ingredients a few seconds until blended.
• On the plate, pour the remaining cup of flour, cornmeal, garlic salt, thyme, table salt, baking soda, and fennel (if you're using it). Mix it up with a fork or with your fingers.
• Dip a fillet into the liquid, coating it totally, and then allow it to drip off a bit. Then, roll it carefully in the flour/cornmeal mix until it is coated all over. Carefully lay the fillet in the hot oil. It should start frying immediately -- if not, your oil is not hot enough!
• Repeat this process until you have half of the fillets in the pan. You don't want to crowd them so plan on doing the fish in two separate batches.
• When the fillets have turned a golden brown on the bottom side, carefully turn them to fry the other side. Remove them to a plate with some paper towels on it once they are golden brown all over (about 3-4 minutes for each side). (The fillets should be snow-white in the thick portion of the fillet, and the meat should "flake apart" when pulled apart with a fork).
• Serve either as a sandwich, or, plate up the fish with side dishes (I like good coleslaw and baked beans with my catfish). A tangy tartar sauce is also good with fried catfish. Enjoy!
• NOTE: Pan-fried catfish makes an EXCELLENT breakfast, along with fried potatoes, when you're camping!

EASY CRISPY FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a large skillet, fill pan with 1/2 inch of vegetable oil. Turn on heat to medium or medium high heat.
• Dip catfish in milk, then in cornmeal. Shake off excess cornmeal.
• Once oil is hot, begin frying fish in batches until they are golden brown. Flip fish so each side is cooked evenly.
• (On the 2nd or3rd batch of fish, you may want to reduce the pan heat because it will be extra hot). Add extra oil if needed.
• Drain fish on paper towels and sprinkle with salt or seasoning salt.
• Serve hot with tartar sauce.