How to Cook Catfish in a Pan

Catfish are large, bottom-feeding fish that have long cat-like whiskers, hence the name. The meat from catfish is considered a Southern specialty and doesn't have the same fishy taste of some other seafood and fish dishes. Catfish is most commonly breaded and fried in a pan. This recipe yields three catfish fillets that will easily serve three hungry people.

Things You'll Need

• Cornmeal
• Black pepper
• Salt
• Pie pan
• Vegetable oil
• Large pan
• Spatula
• Paper towel
• Large plate
• Tartar sauce

Instructions

1. Combine 1/3 cup of cornmeal, ¼ tsp. of black pepper and ¼ tsp. of salt in a pie pan. Place each of the three catfish fillets into the pie pan and thoroughly coat with the cornmeal mixture.

2. Pour 2 tbsp. of vegetable oil into a large pan and allow it to warm on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to medium and carefully put each catfish fillet into the pan.

3. Allow the catfish to cook for 4 minutes, and then flip each of the fillets with a spatula. Allow them to cook for an additional 4 minutes, or until the catfish is golden brown and flaky.

4. Place a paper towel over a large plate and set each of the fillets onto the paper towel. This will allow the oil to drip from the fillets onto the paper towel.

5. Serve the catfish fillets immediately with tartar sauce. The longer the fillets are allowed to cool, the less crisp they become.

Tips & Warnings

• Always be sure to purchase farm-raised catfish fillets. They are usually available in the frozen food section of most supermarkets.

• Never cook the catfish for longer than 4 minutes on each side. Overcooking can burn the breading and ruin the texture of the catfish.

References

• Book: "Cooking on the Lewis and Clark Expedition"; Mary Gunderson, 2000