Arkansas Catfish Stew
A hearty tomato-based stew of catfish, potatoes, and corn, cooked communally at Delta fish fries and camp gatherings.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 60 min
- Total
- 85 min
- Servings
- 8
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 320 kcal
Equipment
- •Large stock pot
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 320 kcal
- fat
- 10
- carbs
- 30
- protein
- 26
- calories
- 320
Instructions
- 1
Cook the chopped bacon in a large stock pot until crisp. Take out the bacon and set aside, leaving the grease in the pot.
- 2
Saute the onion in the warm bacon grease until soft.
- 3
Add the diced tomatoes, potatoes, water or fish stock, salt, and pepper.
- 4
Bring the liquid to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes until the potatoes are almost soft.
- 5
Add the corn and simmer for another 10 minutes.
- 6
Gently add the catfish chunks. Simmer for 10-12 minutes until the fish flakes easily with a fork.
- 7
Stir in the hot sauce and the cooked bacon.
- 8
Ladle into bowls. Serve hot with crackers or cornbread.
Chef's tips
Add the catfish last and simmer gently so it does not break apart. Let the stew rest off the heat for 10 minutes before serving so the flavors blend.
Storage
Refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Reheating
Reheat gently over low heat to avoid breaking up the fish further.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Adding the fish too early and cooking it until tough
- •Boiling the stew too hard after adding the fish, which makes it fall apart
Serving suggestions
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