Pats Pan Fried Catfish Food

PAT'S SMOKED CATFISH

Steps:

• Combine the buttermilk and hot sauce in a 13 by 9-inch casserole dish. Add catfish fillets and cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour. After 1 hour, remove the catfish from the refrigerator and pat dry with paper towels.
• Set up your grill for indirect heat at a medium-low temperature, about 275 degrees F.
• Mix together the oregano, lemon peel and salt, pepper, in a small bowl. Lightly coat the fish with olive oil and sprinkle the seasoning evenly over the catfish fillets.
• Put the catfish on the grill away from the hot coals. Smoke the catfish until it is fully cooked through and golden brown, about for 45 minutes. Remove the fish from the grill to a serving platter and serve with the Orange Dill Cream Sauce.
• Add all the ingredients to a serving bowl and serve with the smoked catfish.

PAN FRIED CATFISH FILETS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, stir together cornmeal, cayenne pepper, paprika and onion powder. Mix well. Pour mixture onto a large sheet of waxed paper.
• Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat.
• Pour milk into a medium bowl. Dip catfish filets into milk and hold up and let the milk drip off. Roll the milk-soaked filet in the cornmeal mixture until completely covered. Set aside.
• Fry the garlic in the hot skillet, but do not burn. Add the coated catfish filets and cook for 5 to 7 minutes on each side, sprinkling salt on the fish after each turn. Cook until golden brown and fish flakes easily with a fork. Drain on paper towels.

PAN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Rinse the fillets and pat them dry with paper towels. Mix the cornmeal, flour, salt, creole seasoning, paprika, and pepper together in a shallow dish. Pour the milk into a second shallow dish. Dip the fillets into the milk and then into the cornmeal mixture, coating them well and shaking of any excess.
• Heat 1/2 the butter in a large skillet over high heat, and fry 2 of the fillets for about 3 minutes on each side, or until the fish flakes easily when tested with a fork.
• Transfer the fillets to a serving platter and keep warm. Repeat with remaining butter and fillets. Serve immediately, garnished with lemon wedges.

PAT'S PAN-FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Dry your catfish filets with paper towels.
• Pour 1 cup of the flour on a plate and "dust" the filets and set them aside on another plate for about half an hour. (This process helps to keep the coating on the fish as they fry).
• Next, heat the shortening in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
• Set up a shallow medium-sized bowl and a dinner plate for "drenching" and "dredging" the fillets.
• In the bowl, break the eggs and beat them a bit, then add the buttermilk and the lemon juice and whisk these ingredients a few seconds until blended.
• On the plate, pour the remaining cup of flour, cornmeal, garlic salt, thyme, table salt, baking soda, and fennel (if you're using it). Mix it up with a fork or with your fingers.
• Dip a fillet into the liquid, coating it totally, and then allow it to drip off a bit. Then, roll it carefully in the flour/cornmeal mix until it is coated all over. Carefully lay the fillet in the hot oil. It should start frying immediately -- if not, your oil is not hot enough!
• Repeat this process until you have half of the fillets in the pan. You don't want to crowd them so plan on doing the fish in two separate batches.
• When the fillets have turned a golden brown on the bottom side, carefully turn them to fry the other side. Remove them to a plate with some paper towels on it once they are golden brown all over (about 3-4 minutes for each side). (The fillets should be snow-white in the thick portion of the fillet, and the meat should "flake apart" when pulled apart with a fork).
• Serve either as a sandwich, or, plate up the fish with side dishes (I like good coleslaw and baked beans with my catfish). A tangy tartar sauce is also good with fried catfish. Enjoy!
• NOTE: Pan-fried catfish makes an EXCELLENT breakfast, along with fried potatoes, when you're camping!

PAN FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl, whisk the milk, mustard and hot pepper sauce together. Season the mixture with salt and cayenne. Lay the fish in the milk mixture, cover, refrigerate and marinate for 1 hour. In a pie pan, combine the flour, cornmeal and 2 teaspoons of Essence. Remove the fish from the refrigerator and drain. Dredge each fillet in the cornmeal mixture, coating each side completely. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the vegetable oil. When the oil is hot, gently lay each fillet in the hot oil. Pan-fry the fillets for 2 to 3 minutes on each side, or until the fish is golden brown and the meat is flaky. Remove the fillets from the oil and drain on a paper-lined plate. Season the fish with the remaining Essence. Serve the catfish with the Andouille Smothered Beans.

PAT'S SOUTHERN-FRIED PANFISH

Steps:

• Allow the fillets to marinade in salt water (use all the quart of water except for 4 tablespoons), using the table salt, for 3 hours in the refrigerator.
• After marination, pat the fillets very dry with paper towels. Pour one cup of the flour into a small paper bag and drop in the fillets, one at a time, and coat them lightly, shaking off any excess flour. Reserve this flour for later use. Lay the fillets out on a piece of wax paper and allow them to sit for 20 minutes.
• In a large skillet, heat the shortening until a few small drops of water crackle loudy in it.
• Using a fork or whisk, beat the eggs and the 4 tablespoons of water together in a medium-sized bowl for at least 20 seconds and set aside. This will be your "drench".
• Mix together the flour from the bag, all remaining flour (1 cup), the kosher salt, the corn meal and the white pepper on a platter. This will be your "dredge".
• Prepare one fillet at a time for frying by first dipping it in the egg "drench". Allow most of this to drip off and then dredge it in the flour mix on both sides. Shake very lightly to remove any notable hunks of flour and corn meal.
• Carefully lay each fillet into the very hot shortening. If it does not begin to fry immediately, your shortening is not hot enough! Do not crowd the fillets in the skillet -- do as many batches as necessary to accommodate this.
• Allow each fillet to fry until lightly browned on the first side and then carefully turn it to the other side. When each fillet is lightly browned on both sides (about 7-10 minutes total), the fish is done. It should be very white and flakey in the thickest part of the fillet.
• Serve with ketchup and/or tartar sauce as an entree, or, on sandwiches.

DOLLY PARTON'S PAN-FRIED CATFISH

Steps:

• Wash the catfish fillets in cold water and pat dry.
• Melt enough lard or shortening in a large cast iron skillet over medium heat to reach 3/4-inch deep.
• While the lard/shortening is melting, pour the cornmeal into a large, shallow plate or dish.
• Season both sides of the catfish fillets (remember to pat them dry, first) with salt and pepper, then dredge them in the cornmeal and shake off any excess.
• When the melted fat is hot but not smoking, carefully slide the fillets into the pan (careful not to splatter, and don't crowd the pan because you want the fish to fry and not steam). Fry the fish in batches if necessary.
• Fry the fillets about 4 minutes per side, until crisp and golden brown.
• Put paper towels on a platter and transfer the fried fillets to the platter with a slotted spatula or spoon.
• Serve with lemon wedges and your favorite catfish sauce (tartar, cocktail, etc). Make sure to have plenty of napkins, hush puppies, corn on the cob, and coleslaw, too!
• Makes 6 servings.

CATFISH (PAN FRIED)

Steps:

• Place catfish into a shallow bowl or baking dish.
• In another smaller bowl mix all of the seasonings. Season the filets with half of the seasonings. Add the lemon juice. Turn the catfish filets several times to coat evenly. Allow to stand at room temperature 15 minutes.
• Combine the cornmeal, flour and the remaining seasoning mixture in a bowl.
• Remove the catfish filets from the marinade and dredge in the cornmeal mixture, coating evenly.
• Heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is hot, add the catfish and fry in batches until golden brown on both sides, turning once, 3 to 4 minutes per side.
• Remove the catfish from the skillet with a slotted spatula, drain on paper towels and serve.