Here’s a Fish Camp Style Fried Catfish recipe 🐟🍴
This is a Southern-inspired, crispy, golden fried catfish—perfect for a casual dinner or a fish fry.
Ingredients (serves 4)
- 4 catfish fillets
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)
- 1 cup cornmeal
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp paprika or cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
- Vegetable oil for frying
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
1. Prepare the fish
- Rinse catfish fillets and pat dry with paper towels.
- In a shallow bowl, combine buttermilk and hot sauce.
- Soak fillets in the buttermilk mixture for at least 15–30 minutes (up to 2 hours for more tender fish).
2. Prepare the coating
- In a separate shallow bowl, mix cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and paprika/cayenne.
3. Coat the fish
- Remove fillets from buttermilk, letting excess drip off.
- Dredge each fillet in the cornmeal mixture, pressing lightly to adhere.
4. Fry
- Heat ½ inch of vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Once hot, carefully place fillets in the pan.
- Fry 3–5 minutes per side, until golden brown and cooked through (internal temp ~145°F / 63°C).
- Remove and drain on paper towels.
5. Serve
- Serve hot with lemon wedges, coleslaw, hush puppies, or your favorite Southern sides.
Tips
- Do not overcrowd the pan; fry in batches for even crispiness.
- For extra Southern flavor, add Old Bay seasoning to the cornmeal mixture.
- Air-frying alternative: Coat as above, spray lightly with oil, and air fry at 400°F for 10–12 minutes, flipping halfway.
- Buttermilk soak reduces fishy taste and keeps fillets tender.
I can also give you a full “fish camp meal” plate idea with sides like fried okra, coleslaw, and cornbread to go with the catfish.
