Dinner · Fish
Cornmeal Oven-Fried Catfish
Southern-style catfish with a crisp seasoned cornmeal crust, baked on a rack instead of deep-fried.
⏱ 28 min (10 min prep, 18 min cooking)
🍽 Serves 4 · 1 fillet
kid friendlyquickleftovers
ContainsMilk, Fish, Wheat. Check the labels on what you buy; brands differ.
Ingredients
Fish
- 4 fillet Catfish fillets, about 5 ounces each
- ½ cup Buttermilk
- 1 tsp Hot sauce
Coating
- ¾ cup Yellow cornmeal
- ¼ cup All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Paprika
- ½ tsp Garlic powder
- ¼ tsp Cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp Table salt
- ¼ tsp Ground black pepper
- 2 tbsp Vegetable oil (soybean)
To serve
- 1 Lemon, cut in wedges
Nutrition
Nutrition coming: the USDA numbers for these ingredients are being added.
Steps
You’ll need: rimmed baking sheet, wire rack, 2 shallow dishes, instant-read thermometer.
- Heat the oven to 425°F. Set a wire rack on a baking sheet and brush the rack with a little of the oil.
- Stir the buttermilk and hot sauce in a shallow dish and add the fillets, turning to coat.
- In another dish, mix the cornmeal, flour, paprika, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and pepper.
- Lift each fillet, let the extra buttermilk drip off and press it into the cornmeal on both sides. Set on the rack and drizzle with the rest of the oil. Wash your hands.
- Bake 15 to 18 minutes, until golden and crisp and the thickest part reaches 145°F and flakes easily.
- Serve with lemon wedges.
🌡 Safe temperaturesFish 145°F. Check the thickest part with a food thermometer (USDA). More on food safety.
Make aheadMix the cornmeal coating up to 1 week ahead and keep it in a jar.
↺ LeftoversReheat on a rack in a 400°F oven to 165°F so the crust crisps again; or flake into tacos.
🧒 With kidsCut a fillet into strips before coating for crunchy fish fingers.
Gluten-free swapUse all cornmeal, or gluten-free flour, in the coating.
An original Teddy Rook Book recipe. Nutrition is estimated from USDA FoodData Central and changes with brands and portions.