The Best Ways to Cook Catfish

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Delicious fried, grilled, and baked catfish recipes
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Catfish is a tasty fish that is most commonly enjoyed by people living in the southern United States. The most common cooking method is deep-frying, but catfish can be grilled, baked and pan-fried with great success. Catfish has a mild, sweet flavor and is less flaky and denser than other whitefish, allowing for a variety of cooking choices. The fillet marinated in brine can also be enjoyed raw. If you want to know how to cook catfish in a variety of ways, just follow these steps.

Ingredients

Pan Fried Catfish

  • 4 (8-oz.) catfish fillets
  • 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 1 tsp. creole seasoning
  • 1/2 tsp. paprika
  • 1/4 tsp. ground black pepper
  • 3/4 cup milk
  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, divided
  • Lemon wedges for garnish

Deep Fried Catfish

  • 4 (6-oz.) catfish fillets
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1 tbsp. baking powder
  • 1 tbsp. kosher salt
  • 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
  • 1 (12-oz.) bottle amber beer
  • 1 tbsp. salt
  • 1 tbsp. black pepper
  • 2 tbsp. granulated garlic
  • 1 juiced lemon

Baked Catfish

  • 2 (7-8 oz.) catfish fillets
  • 4 oz. butter
  • 4 oz. dry white wine
  • 1 tbsp. lemon juice
  • 1 tsp. chopped garlic
  • 1 tsp. chopped cilantro
  • Salt to taste
  • Pepper to taste
  • 1 tbsp. paprika

Grilled Catfish

  • 6 catfish fillets (6-8 oz.)
  • vegetable cooking spray
  • 1/3 cup lemon juice
  • 3 tbsp. melted butter
  • 1 tbsp. lemon pepper seasoning
Method 1
Method 1 of 4:

Pan Fried Catfish

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  1. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    To get the catfish ready to frying, you should first rinse 4 (8-oz.) catfish fillets under cool water and then pat them dry with paper towels until the extra moisture is absorbed. [1]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    To do this, mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, creole seasoning, paprika, and pepper together in a shallow dish until the ingredients are completely combined. Mix together 1/2 cup of yellow cornmeal, 1/4 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 tsp. of salt, 1 tsp. of creole seasoning, 1/2 tsp. of paprika, and 1/4 tsp. of ground black pepper together in a shallow dish.
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  4. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    The milk will help them absorb the cornmeal mixture. When you're done coating them, shake them to remove any excess mixture.
  5. of butter in a large skillet. Place the skillet over high heat.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    Fry each side for 3 minutes or until the fish flakes when you test it with a fork. Then, flip over the fish and do the same to the other side. It may take slightly less time to fry the second side.
  7. Repeat the frying process with the other two fillets.
  8. Garnish the catfish fillets with lemon wedges and serve them immediately.
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Method 2
Method 2 of 4:

Deep Fried Catfish

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  1. [2]
  2. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    Place these ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk together 1 cup of all-purpose flour, 1 of cup cornmeal, 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml). of baking powder, 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml). of kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp. of cayenne pepper.
  3. ) bottle of amber beer into the ingredients. Continue whisking the ingredients to remove any lumps until the beer has been fully incorporated into the rest of the ingredients.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    ) catfish fillets in half lengthwise. Make two strips from each fish.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    To make this mixture, combine the salt, pepper, and granulated garlic together in a small bowl. Combine 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml). of salt, 1 tbsp. of black pepper, and 2 tablespoon (29.6 ml). of granulated garlic together in a small bowl using a spoon to stir the ingredients together.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    Sprinkle the salt mixture over both sides of the fillets until you've evenly seasoned them.
  7. Leave them in the batter for 10-15 seconds until they've absorbed it.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    Once the fryer has heated, you can add the fish to the fryer a few at a time and move them around so that they don't stick.
  9. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    Continue to fry them until they're brown and crispy.
  10. Take the fish out of the fryer and place them in a serving platter. Season the fish with the juice of one lemon and enjoy it while it's hot.
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Method 3
Method 3 of 4:

Baked Catfish

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  1. [3]
  4. Place 4 oz. of butter in a small saucepan and heat it until the butter is completely melted.
  5. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    Combine 4 oz. of dry white wine, 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml). of lemon juice, 1 tsp. of chopped garlic, and 1 tsp. of chopped cilantro together in a small bowl.
  6. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
  7. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    Then, sprinkle 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml). of paprika over the fish.
  8. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    Place the fish in the oven and bake it until it's fully cooked.
  9. Enjoy this tasty baked catfish while it's nice and hot.
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Method 4
Method 4 of 4:

Grilled Catfish

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  1. [4]
  2. Place 6 catfish fillets (6-8 oz.) of fish in the basket.
  3. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    Combine 1/3 cup of lemon juice, 3 tablespoon (44.4 ml). of melted butter, and 1 tablespoon (14.8 ml). of lemon pepper seasoning together in a small bowl.
  4. Watermark wikiHow to Cook Catfish
    Use a brush to cover the fillets with the mixture.
  5. Close the cover.
  6. The fish should flake on each side if you touch it with a fork. Continue to baste the fish while it's cooking.
  7. Serve this grilled catfish with mashed potatoes or grilled vegetables.
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Expert Q&A

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  • Question
    How do you fry catfish nuggets?
    Sasha Reyes
    Executive Chef
    Chef Sasha Reyes is the Executive Chef and Owner of Artisan Personal Chefs. With over 20 years of food industry experience, she specializes in private dinner parties, custom sports nutrition plans for professional athletes, and cooking lessons. Chef Reyes graduated from Arizona Culinary Institute in 2011 with a degree in Culinary Arts, Baking, and Restaurant Management.
    Sasha Reyes
    Executive Chef
    Expert Answer
    Check that your catfish nuggets are fully thawed and patted dry. Then, apply a seasoning in the form of a crust or a batter, like a seasoned cornmeal crust or a beer batter. Once the nuggets are coated, drop them into 350°F (177°C) oil and let them cook for 10-15 minutes.
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    Not Helpful 1 Helpful 1
  • Question
    What about whole catfish?
    Community Answer
    Just do an internet search. You'll find a complete recipe very quickly.
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  • Question
    How do I skin a catfish?
    Community Answer
    You can read through this article for help: How to Skin and Clean Catfish.
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    Thank you for your feedback.
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      Tips

      • If the catfish belly is considerably larger than its tail, cut two diagonal slits in the catfish belly for even cooking.
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      • Catfish are bottom-dwelling foragers that feed on dead fish and decaying organisms. However, grain-fed catfish that are farm-raised eat the healthier grain instead of foraging discarded animal particles found in lakes and ponds.
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      Warnings

      • All cooking devices, oils and catfish will be hot during and after cooking. Use caution and wear proper hand mitts to prevent burns.
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      • Hot oil often pops out of deep-fryers and skillets when cooking. Stand back from these cooking methods to protect from burns.
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      Things You'll Need

      • Good quality catfish, preferably grain-fed/farm-raised
      • Chef's knife
      • Paper towels
      • Cooking device – grill, oven, deep-fryer or large skillet
      • Heavy-duty aluminum foil if oven baking
      • Cooking oil spray
      • Grilling basket (if grilling)

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      References

      1. ↑ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/sara-moulton/pan-fried-catfish-recipe/index.html
      2. ↑ https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/aaron-mccargo-jr/big-daddys-deep-fried-catfish-recipe-1948850
      3. ↑ http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/baked-catfish-recipe/index.html
      4. ↑ https://www.cdkitchen.com/recipes/recs/428/grilled-lemon-pepper-catfish143412.shtml

      About This Article

      Article Summary X

      To cook catfish, start by dipping the fillets in milk and coating them in a cornmeal batter. Then, heat some butter in a skillet over high heat and put the fillets in the pan. Fry the catfish for 3 minutes on each side and then serve. If you want to cook catfish in the oven, season the fillets and bake them for 10-12 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit. To learn how to grill catfish, scroll down!

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      Reader Success Stories

      • John

        May 22, 2022

        "Excellent. I cut down on the butter and adjusted the other ingredients accordingly. It was delicious."
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