Crispy Fried Catfish is easier than one might imagine. I don’t fry a lot because of the steps and the sometimes permeating smells. I can handle washing a few extra dishes, but I really can’t stand leaving my house smelling like last night’s dinner. To mitigate this, I… drumroll please… put the frying pan on my outdoor grill and fry outside! Yes! This is a thing!
Also a thing: sometimes, if I have extra brown paper grocery bags around, I use them for the flour coating and the Panko coating. Just cut the bottoms off of 2 bags so that there is about a 2 inch lip, forming two trays. That way it’s only necessary to wash the dish with egg/buttermilk coating. Don’t discard the remaining paper bag! You can use it instead of paper towels to place the fish on when it’s done frying to absorb extra oil before placing on a plate.
Catfish is mild, wonderfully textured and affordable. It’s also generally accepted as a safe fish to eat. I discovered catfish when I was pregnant with my first picky eater. Depending on the source, the fillets can be extremely large or a bit larger than a typical tilapia fillet.
To make excellent Crispy Fried Catfish, you need salt, pepper, paprika, buttermilk, an egg, flour and Panko breadcrumbs. You also need screaming hot oil in a skillet. And if you’re like me and frying it outside on the grill, you need a skillet with a non-melting handle and a sturdy oven mitt.
It is very easy, (and not too messy or smelly,) to get a golden brown, hot, crispy, flavorful catfish fillet. Serve with any sauce or just lemon wedges. I like to serve Crispy Fried Catfish with something light, like Carrot Radish Ginger Salad or Lemony Garlicky Broccoli.
Crispy Fried Catfish
Ingredients
- 2 skinless catfish fillets
- 1 t kosher salt, divided
- 1/2 t ground pepper, divided
- 3/4 t paprika, divided
- 1/4 c flour
- 1 egg
- 1/4 c buttermilk
- 3/4 c Panko breadcrumbs
- 1/4 c canola oil
Directions
- Step 1 Lightly salt and pepper each side of each fillet with 1/4 t kosher salt, 1/8 t pepper and 1/4 t paprika. Set aside.
- Step 2 Prepare the three breading stations. For the flour station, pour the flour and remaining salt, pepper and paprika into a baking dish or an above mentioned paper bag bottom and mix well with fingers. For the wet station, beat the egg with the buttermilk in a baking dish or wide bowl. For the Panko station, pour the Panko crumbs into a baking dish or paper bag bottom.
- Step 3 Heat the canola oil on high heat in a large skillet on the stove or on an outdoor grill. *If you use the grill, keep an oven mitt handy.
- Step 4 As the skillet heats, take each fillet through the breading process. First, coat in the flour mixture and tap off the excess, then dip into the egg mixture and allow the excess to drip off. Finally, press both sides of each fillet into the Panko crumbs and put into the skillet.
- Step 5 Cook for 5 to 6 minutes on each side, depending on the size of the fillet. Lower the heat to medium once the fish has been in the oil for a minute or two to avoid burning.
- Step 6 Use tongs or a fork to gently flip the fish halfway through the cooking process.
- Step 7 Once the fish is golden brown, remove from the skillet and place on a layer of paper towels or the remaining brown paper bag. Then transfer to a plate to enjoy immediately.
