Crispy Fried Catfish 12 6 ounce catfish fillets; 1 tsp. salt; 1/2 tsp. pepper; 1 (2 ounce) bottle hot sauce; Vegetable Oil; 2 cups self-rising cornmeal (Optional Tartar Sauce, Cocktail Sauce or Lemon Wedges) Sprinkle fillets with salt & pepper; place in a shallow dish. Add hot sauce to fillets, turning to coat. Cover & chill 2 hours. Pour oil to a depth of 4 inches into a large deep skillet; heat over medium-high heat to 375F. Place cornmeal mix in a large zip-top plastic freeze bag. Add fillets, 1 at a time; seal bag and shake until completely coated. Fry fillets, in batches, 4 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Drain on a wire rack or paper towels. Serve with tartar sauce or cocktail sauce and garnish with lemons if desired. A personal note from me- I get my catfish fillets from our local grocer that sells seafood and I sometimes omit the hot sauce, I do sprinkle a bit more salt/pepper on them after they are done. Also, I prefer to use canola oil when frying these)
nothing like fresh crispy fried catfish. I could eat it nearly everyday.