Catfish, with its nutty and earthy flavor, is a stable of Southern cooking in the US. Though, often dismissed as Po’ Boy food, there is nothing more comforting than a meal of Cajun grilled catfish served with deep fried cornflour dumpling and a big helping of fresh air. The most common ways of cooking catfish are shallow or deep fried, baked, and grilled. Catfish is also prepared by broiling or poaching. Here is a step-by-step guide to cook your catfish, one that you can use no matter which method you want to choose.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time Required: 15-20 Minutes
Resources Required:
- Catfish fillet, fresh or frozen
- Breadcrumbs
- Oil to fry
- Salt, pepper and seasonings to taste
Instructions:
1. Clean the fillets
Wash the fillets in running water. Pat them thoroughly dry with a kitchen napkin or paper towel.
2. Season the fillets
Coat both sides of fillet with a little oil, salt and pepper and any other seasoning that you like. Popular options are lime juice, rosemary, basil, thyme, crushed garlic or garlic flakes and oregano. Be generous with the seasoning since catfish is a light flavored fresh water fish.
3. Allow the fish to marinate
Keep the seasoned fish aside in a plastic bag in the refrigerator for an hour.
4. Bread the fillets
Take out the fillets, and bread them on both sides if you want to deep fry the fish. You can do this either by placing the fillets on top of a plate of bread crumbs or by sprinkling the bread crumbs over the fillets. You may want to dip the fillets into a light batter of eggs or cornflour before breading it.
5. Cook the fillets
- Shallow fry: Heat oil in a flat pan till it smokes. Keep the flame on high and carefully slide the fillets in and let them fry on each side for five minutes. You may want to fry only one or two fillets at a time to stay in control of the time and the browning. Remove the fillets on to a paper towel to soak up the excess oil. You may use breaded fillets for shallow frying too.
- Deep fry: Heat sufficient oil in a deep pan till it smokes. Reduce the flame to medium heat and slide the breaded fillets in and let them fry for about 6 to 8 minutes. If you are using a deep fryer, heat the oil to 325/175 and let the fillet deep fry for 6 to 8 minutes. Take them out and place them on a paper towel to soak up the oil.
- Bake: Place the seasoned fillets on a baking tray or a rack with a dripping tray under it in an oven preheated to 325/175. Let it bake for 10 minutes. Baste with oil if it looks like it is drying up too much.
- Grill: Place the seasoned fillets on a heated oiled grill. Grill for about 5 minutes on each side, turning once, at about 325/175. Baste with oil and seasoning while grilling.
6. Serve the catfish
Serve the fish hot with french fries, ketchup, sliced onions, and lime wedges as a snack or with rice, potatoes and steamed vegetables as a main course.
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I know if the catfish has been cooked thoroughly?
The standard test for ensuring that your catfish has been properly cooked is to look out for the fish turning opaque white and flaky. Stop cooking at the first sign of the thickest part turning opaque and flaky since the fish will continue to cook for some more time in its own heat. Overcooking may make the fish acquire a dry and rubbery feel when you eat it.
Quick Tips:
- Leftover cooked catfish pieces can add an unusual twist to any dish that you are cooking. You can even turn them into a dish by mixing up the broken pieces with some finely chopped and fried seasonal vegetables. You can use them to add flavor and depth to any soup.
- The secret of good catfish is to let it cook to the point it is done and no further. When you get the feeling it will be done in another 30 seconds, take it off the heat. The rest will cook in the residual heat and you will get moist and juicy but perfectly fried or grilled fish.
Things to Watch Out For:
Remember that you are dealing with extremely hot temperatures in the oil and the fish. Be careful and wear gloves. Oil has a way of spluttering and jumping out of the pan or the fryer when you put the fish in it.
