Carolina Cooking: Catfish Recipes

Catfish are one fish that can be caught in our freshwater lakes, ponds, and rivers throughout the warm months no matter how hot it gets. Channel catfish fillets are also widely available now in many super markets.

Eating-size channel cats are also stocked in North Carolina public ponds by the state government. There are similar popular catfish stocking programs in other states as well.

Wild caught and farm-raised catfish are served fried in many southern restaurants, while restaurants in the Mississippi River states often have more varied catfish dishes. Inland seafood stores in the Carolinas and Georgia often have fresh catfish available, as do markets in the lower southern states.

See also Spring Carolina bluefish recipes

Lake Norman Barbecued Cats

4 large flathead or blue catfish fillets
4 tablespoons soy sauce
4 tablespoons steak sauce
1 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon each red pepper, black pepper, and garlic salt
4 teaspoons hot sauce

Mix all ingredients except catfish into a large bowl and stir into sauce. Brush fillets with sauce. Grill fillets over high heat for 4 minutes. Flip, baste with sauce, and grill at least 4 minutes more. Serves 4.

Beer Batter Fried Catfish

6 catfish fillets
1 cup flour
2 1/2 cans beer
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix flour, beer and cayenne pepper in blender until smooth and thick. Refrigerate batter for 1 hour. Dip catfish fillets in batter and drop into hot oil and deep fry. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Serves 3.

Baked Lemon Catfish

1 lb catfish fillets
3 tablespoons applesauce
¼ cup fresh lemon juice
1 egg, beaten
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup fine dry bread crumbs
salt and pepper
olive oil

Mix applesauce, lemon juice, egg and vegetable oil in a bowl. Marinade catfish in mixture in the refrigerator for one hour. Take fillets out, sprinkle with slat and pepper, and dip in bread crumbs. Place in a baking dish greased with olive oil and bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes or until fish is done. Serves 4.

Carolina Kid's Favorite Catfish

3 channel catfish fillets
1 cup flour
1 cup cornmeal
dash each black pepper, Cayenne pepper, garlic powder, and salt
milk
olive oil

Heat olive oil in skillet on medium heat. Combine flour, cornmeal, and spices in a shallow dish and mix. Dip fillets in milk and then dredge through flour mixture coating fish thoroughly and evenly. Fry fillets in hot olive oil for 4 minutes, turn and fry 3 minutes or until fish is done. Drain on paper towels and serve. Serves 3.

Catfish Almond-Dijon

4 catfish fillets
¼ cup Dijon-style mustard
1 tablespoon melted butter
½ cup bread crumbs
½ cup ground almonds
dash salt and pepper

Brush each fillet with mustard. Combine butter, bread crumbs, salt and pepper, and almonds. Roll mustard-covered fillets in crumb mixture. Place on greased baking sheet and cook for 14 minutes. Surface should be golden-brown when done. Serves 4.

Hearty Catfish Chowder

12 medium red potatoes, cubed
1 lb bacon
5 medium onions, diced
2 lbs catfish
5 cans chicken broth
3 cans evaporated milk
2 tablespoons seafood seasoning
salt and pepper to taste

Partially cover potatoes with water in large soup pot, simmer until tender. Drain potatoes and replace in soup pot, add chicken broth. Meanwhile, cut bacon into 1-inch pieces, then brown bacon with onions in stove top pan. Add bacon and onions to potatoes and broth in pan.

Cut catfish into 1-inch pieces and add to pot, do not stir. Simmer until catfish flakes easily. Pour milk into pot over catfish. Add seasoning and salt and pepper. Stir gently, heating to simmer. Simmer for a few minutes. Serve with saltine crackers. Serves 8.

For more fishing and cooking articles check out my blog A Dash of Salty and my website Surf and Salt