Cornmeal Fried Catfish

Ingredients

• 2 lb catfish fillets, cut into 4-inch pieces
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 teaspoons hot sauce
• 1 1/2 cups fine yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons black pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 4 cups peanut oil
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges

Before you cook

• Whisk the buttermilk, mustard, and hot sauce together in a wide dish.
• Add the catfish pieces and turn them to coat, then refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Stir the cornmeal, flour, salt, black pepper, garlic powder, paprika, and cayenne together in a shallow pan.
• Set a wire rack over a sheet pan.

Steps

1. Pour the peanut oil into a deep cast iron skillet to a depth of 1 1/2 inches.
2. Heat the oil over medium-high until it reaches 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
3. Lift a piece of catfish from the buttermilk and let it drip for a moment.
4. Press the fish into the cornmeal mixture and turn it until every side is coated.
5. Shake off the loose cornmeal and lay the piece gently into the hot oil away from you.
6. Add three or four more pieces without crowding the skillet.
7. Fry for 3 minutes until the underside is deep gold.
8. Turn each piece with a slotted spatula and fry 2 to 3 minutes more.
9. Lift the fish out when it floats and the crust is crisp all over.
10. Set the fried pieces on the wire rack and salt them right away.
11. Bring the oil back to 360 degrees Fahrenheit before frying the next batch.
12. Serve the catfish hot with lemon wedges.