Fried Catfish with Hush Puppies
Cornmeal-crusted fried catfish and cornmeal hush puppies, a mainstay of inland Florida's freshwater fish camps.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 20 min
- Total
- 40 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Calories
- 590 kcal
Equipment
- •Deep fryer or heavy skillet
Nutrition
Per serving, approximate
- Calories
- 590 kcal
- fat
- 30
- carbs
- 46
- protein
- 32
- calories
- 590
Instructions
- 1
Put the catfish fillets in the buttermilk. Let them soak for 15 minutes.
- 2
Mix the cornmeal and flour together. Coat the fillets completely in the mixture and set aside.
- 3
For the hush puppies (fried cornmeal balls), mix the cornmeal, flour, baking powder, and onion.
- 4
Stir in the buttermilk and egg. Mix until you have a thick batter.
- 5
Heat the oil on your burner to 350°F.
- 6
Fry the catfish fillets for 4-5 minutes per side. Cook until golden and cooked through.
- 7
Drop spoonfuls of hush puppy batter into the hot oil. Fry for 3-4 minutes until golden.
- 8
Drain the fish and hush puppies on paper towels. Serve hot together.
Chef's tips
Soak the catfish in buttermilk first to remove any muddy taste and help the cornmeal stick. Keep your oil at a steady 350°F so both the fish and hush puppies cook evenly.
Storage
Best eaten fresh; refrigerate leftovers up to 1 day.
Reheating
Reheat in a 375°F oven to re-crisp.
Common mistakes to avoid
- •Skipping the buttermilk soak, which leaves behind a muddy taste
- •Adding too much food at once, which makes the oil temperature drop
Serving suggestions
Cooked Fried Catfish with Hush Puppies?
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