Herb’s Fried Catfish
Growing up, I was lucky to have a catfish pond just down the hill on our farm. My daddy had created the pond from a natural spring when I was a little girl and stocked it with catfish and bream. We had many a wonderful fish fry with freshly caught catfish from our pond all through my childhood. Fresh fried fish served with Mama’s Cornmeal Hushpuppies (page 140)—you couldn’t ask for a better meal! My only suggestion is that you let someone else dress the catfish. Yuck!
Ingredients
serves 12
Step 1
In a large bowl, prepare a salt-water brine by combining 3 tablespoons salt with 2 quarts water. Add the fish and more water if needed to just cover the fish. Soak the fish in the brine for 30 minutes.
Step 2
Mix the cornmeal, cracker meal, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, pepper, and Cajun seasoning in a 1-gallon plastic bag.
Step 3
In a large (3-gallon) catfish cooker or deep Dutch oven, heat the oil to 350°F. Preheat the oven to 150°F.
Step 4
Coat the fish by shaking a few pieces at a time in the plastic bag with the crumbs.
Step 5
Drop 8 to 10 of the coated fish fillets into the hot oil. Cook until the coating is light brown; the fillets will cook quickly, in less than 5 minutes. Pieces will float to the top of the oil when they’re done. Drain the cooked fish on paper towels and keep warm in the oven while you fry additional batches. Let the oil return to 350°F before adding and cooking more fish.
From Gwen
Step 6
Our family attended many fish fries held outdoors on the banks of Herb’s pond in Jasper County, Georgia. His wife, Glenda, loves to fish, and she provided most of the fish.
From Trisha
Step 7
You can make the hushpuppies in the same oil as the fish, but let it cool down to 250°F first.
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