Sign in to see ingredients
Create a free account to unlock this content
Don't have an account? Sign up free
Per serving
Calculating nutrition...
- 1
Stir together the dipping sauce
In a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, and Cajun seasoning. Cover and set it in the icebox until the fish is ready — this is the kind of sauce my mama always had waiting before the first fillet ever hit the oil.
- 2
Set up your dredge
Pour the buttermilk into a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, seafood seasoning, salt, pepper, and paprika. If your catfish has a little muddy edge to it, let the fillets sit in the buttermilk a spell first — it mellows that out and helps the cornmeal stick besides.
- 3
Get your oil hot
Pour oil about an inch deep into a deep cast-iron skillet and bring it to 375°F. Cast iron holds the heat steady, which is half the secret to a fry that comes out crisp instead of greasy. If you want to keep the first batches warm, set the oven to 200°F with a wire rack over a baking sheet inside.
- 4
Coat the fillets
Dip each catfish fillet in the buttermilk, letting the extra drip away, then dredge it through the cornmeal mixture, shaking off what doesn't cling.
- 5
Fry in small batches
Fry the fillets a few at a time, two to three minutes a side, until they're deep golden and flake easy with a fork. Don't crowd the skillet — give each piece room to fry, not steam. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with the Cajun mayonnaise.
Sign in to see all instructions
Create a free account to unlock this content
Don't have an account? Sign up free
Cast-Iron Buttermilk Fried Catfish
Created by: DeepSouthDiner
Ingredients
- 1 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 3/4 cup buttermilk
- 3/4 cup white cornmeal
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp seafood seasoning
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/4 tsp paprika
- 6 catfish fillets
- vegetable oil
Instructions
- Stir together the dipping sauceIn a small bowl, mix the mayonnaise, lemon juice, minced garlic, Dijon mustard, and Cajun seasoning. Cover and set it in the icebox until the fish is ready — this is the kind of sauce my mama always had waiting before the first fillet ever hit the oil.
- Set up your dredgePour the buttermilk into a shallow dish. In a second shallow dish, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, seafood seasoning, salt, pepper, and paprika. If your catfish has a little muddy edge to it, let the fillets sit in the buttermilk a spell first — it mellows that out and helps the cornmeal stick besides.
- Get your oil hotPour oil about an inch deep into a deep cast-iron skillet and bring it to 375°F. Cast iron holds the heat steady, which is half the secret to a fry that comes out crisp instead of greasy. If you want to keep the first batches warm, set the oven to 200°F with a wire rack over a baking sheet inside.
- Coat the filletsDip each catfish fillet in the buttermilk, letting the extra drip away, then dredge it through the cornmeal mixture, shaking off what doesn't cling.
- Fry in small batchesFry the fillets a few at a time, two to three minutes a side, until they're deep golden and flake easy with a fork. Don't crowd the skillet — give each piece room to fry, not steam. Drain on paper towels and serve hot with the Cajun mayonnaise.