MY BEST CATFISH RECIPES

Face the facts, if you can't cook, you can't cook catfish! Please Let a Good cook handle the cooking of catfish or you will be feeding it to your dog, & your dog will be licking his own butt to get the taste out of his mouth.....

I dont know about you, but to me there is nothing better than a nice big fat pile of beer battered catfish, frenchfries, hushpuppies, and homemade coleslaw, together with a nice cold beer! And, here is the good news : Eating catfish is recommended for heart disease prevention. Catfish is low in total and saturated fats, high in protein and essential trace minerals, and contains long-chain omega-3 fatty acids (EPA and DHA). Catfish is only one example of the lower-fat fish that have omega-3s, but still provide more of these heart-healthy nutrients than any hamburger, steak, chicken, pork or turkey.

A single 3 ounce serving of catfish provides over 100 mg of the long chain omega-3 fatty acids. Since they are also relatively low in total and saturated fats and high in protein, they clearly can be part of a healthy diet. U.S. Department of Agriculture statistics indicate that farmed catfish contain somewhat more omega-6 fatty acids than omega-3. Most health experts (including organizations such as the American Heart Association and the American Dietetic Association) agree that omega-6 fatty acids are, like omega-3s, heart-healthy nutrients which should be a part of everyone's diet. Replacing catfish with "bacon, hamburgers or doughnuts" is absolutely not recommended.

Here are a few of my persoanl favorite 5 star catfish recipes. Honestly, sometimes the catfish do not even make the ride home. We will catch'em, clean'em, and eat'em right there. However, I do not suggest that you do this until you become familiar with cleaning your catfish, which is a whole differnet page and you can find that information on the home link. All of these 5 star recipes are tried, true, and tested to be catfish friendly. The best part is You may adjust these to your own taste with ease if you Just know how to cook.

EVERYONES COMMON MISTAKE.....................

PS: Anything with a dry flour based batter - you need to let it set for 10-15 mins before you fry it so the glutin in the flour can do its thing & mix - to make the batter stick, and develope its crispy factor and flavor. No different to the greatest fried chicken. Use butter milk soak, your batter, and let it set for 15-20 minutes.

You do need to be careful when cooking catfish and make sure you keep your eye on them. This is not a food that you can throw in the pan and walk away from if you want the catfish to be cooked at its best so you can enjoy all the flavor good clean catfish fillets have to offer. I notice a huge difference in the flavor if the oil is not upto temp before you start cooking them, and if not cleaned right..all these are 5 star catfish recipes.

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Classic Fried Catfish

Combine cornmeal, flour, salt, cayenne pepper and garlic powder. Coat catfish with mixture, shaking off excess. Fill deep pot or 12 in. skillet half full with vegetable oil. Heat to 350°. Add catfish in single layer, and fry until golden brown, about 5-6 minutes, depending on size. Remove and drain on paper towels or rack.

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Catfish with Tomatillo Salsa

1-1 1/4 pounds catfish, 3/4 teaspoon ground cumin 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided 1/2 teaspoon ground pepper 1 pound tomatillos chopped 1 medium onion, finely chopped

1 jalapeño pepper, minced 2 cloves garlic, minced 1/3 cup chopped cilantro Juice of 1 lime 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/4-1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 400°F (or see Grill Variation, below).
2. To prepare packets, start with four 20- to 24-inch-long pieces of parchment paper or foil. Fold in half crosswise. With the parchment or foil folded, draw half a heart shape on one side as you would if you were making a Valentine. Use scissors to cut out the heart shape. Open up the heart.
3. Season fish with cumin, 1/2 teaspoon salt and pepper. Combine tomatillos, onion, chile pepper, garlic and cilantro in a large bowl; stir in lime juice, oil, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and cayenne to taste (if using).
4. Place one portion of fish on one side of each open heart fairly close to the crease and leaving at least a 1-inch boarder around the edges for folding. Place one-fourth of the salsa (about 1 cup) on top of each fish portion.
5. Close the packet to cover the ingredients. Starting at the top, seal the packet by folding the edges together in a series of small, tight folds. Twist the tip of the packet and tuck it underneath to help keep the packet closed. Place the packets on a large rimmed baking sheet (packets may overlap slightly). Bake until the fish is opaque in the center, about 20 minutes. (Carefully open one package to check for doneness—be cautious of the steam.) Let packets rest unopened for 5 minutes before serving.

TIP: Tomatillos are tart, plum-size fruits that look like small, husk-covered green tomatoes. Find them in the produce section near the tomatoes. Remove outer husks and rinse well before using.

Grill Variation: Cooking in packets is great for the grill, but it’s not safe to put parchment paper over an open flame, so use foil. To prepare packets for grilling, start with eight 20- to 24-inch-long pieces of foil. Layer two sheets for each of four packets (the double layers will help protect the contents from burning). Arrange the ingredients on one half of each double layer. Fold the foil over the ingredients and tightly seal the packets by crimping and folding the edges together. Grill over medium heat for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the packets to another spot on the grill about halfway through to ensure even cooking.

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Blackened Catfish

2 lbs catfish 1/2 lb unsalted butter or oil 1/4 c lemon juice 1 Tbl crushed red pepper flakes 1 Tbl thyme 1 Tbl basil 1 Tbl black pepper

(also good with Grouper, Snapper or Redfish)Combine all ingredients except fish and heat over low heat for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit until cool. Dip fish in butter mixture and refrigerate fish for one hour. Reserve remaining butter mixture.If cooking indoors, remove batteries from your smoke detectors. Seriously. Don't forget to put them back in when you're done cooking. Place dry cast iron skillet over high heat for 5 minutes, until skillet is very hot, nearly smoking. Place fish in skillet and cook for ~2 minutes per side. (There will be lots of smoke.) Remove fish to a platter and put remaining butter mixture in skillet and cook for a minute or so, until the butter browns. Serve fish with a drizzle of browned butter and spices of your liking. This one is great for big fish.

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Beer Battered Catfish = My FAVORITE = with a cold beer!!!!
3 lb. catfish
¼ cup cornmeal
¼ cup flour - seasoned with a lil oldbay, garlic, onion, chili, salt, Thyme.....
2 eggs, beaten
1 12-ounce beer
¼ cup minced onion
3 cups vegetable oil
salt and pepper to taste - this one is awesome with the smaller fillets...
In a medium mixing bowl blend flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper together. In a separate medium mixing bowl beat egg well, add beer and minced onions, mix well. Cut the catfish into 2 inch cubes or strips. Heat the vegetable oil. Roll the catfish into the flour mixture, then dip into the beer-egg mixture, then back into the flour mixture. Place flour and dipped catfish into the deep-fry, cook until golden brown.

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Catfish armandine

1 tablespoon butter 1/4 cup sliced almonds 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced 1/2 cup low-fat milk 1 large egg, lightly beaten

1/3 cup all-purpose flour 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 pound catfish, cut into 4 portions 2 tablespoons lemon juice 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat 1 tablespoon oil and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add almonds and garlic and cook until both are just beginning to brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Set aside.
2. Combine milk and egg in a shallow dish. In another shallow dish, combine flour, salt and cayenne. Dip fish in the milk mixture, then in the flour mixture; shake off any excess flour. (Discard any leftover mixtures.)
3. Heat the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fish and cook until lightly browned and opaque in the center, 4 to 6 minutes per side.
4. Return the almond-garlic sauce to the stove over medium heat. Add lemon juice and heat through, 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the sauce over the fish and sprinkle with parsley.

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Cajun Pecan-Crusted Catfish

1/2 cup nonfat buttermilk 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce, such as Tabasco 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 1/2 teaspoon chili powder 1/4 teaspoon garlic salt 2 cups cornflakes 1/2 cup pecan pieces 1 pound catfish fillets, about 1 inch thick,

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with foil.
2. Blend buttermilk, hot sauce (or cayenne), oregano, chili powder and garlic salt in a shallow dish. Pulse cornflakes in a food processor until coarse crumbs form. Transfer to a large plate. Pulse pecans in the food processor until coarsely chopped; mix the pecans with the cornflake crumbs. (Alternatively, place cornflakes in a sealable bag and crush with a rolling pin; chop nuts with a knife.)
3. Dip each catfish fillet in the buttermilk mixture, then dredge in the cornflake mixture, coating both sides. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet.
4. Bake the catfish for 25 minutes, or until it flakes easily with a fork. Serve immediately.

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Crisp-Crusted Catfish

Preheat oven to 425°.Combine the dressing and egg whites in a small bowl, and stir well with a whisk. Combine the cornmeal, cheese, flour, pepper, and salt in a shallow dish. Dip fish in egg white mixture; dredge in cornmeal mixture. Place fish on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray; bake at 425° for 12 minutes on each side or until lightly browned and fish flakes easily when tested with a fork. Serve with lemon wedges.

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Again, it is EVERYONES COMMON MISTAKE.....................

PS: Anything with a dry flour based batter - you need to let it set for 10-15 mins before you fry it so the glutin in the flour can do its thing & mix - to make the batter stick, and develope its crispy factor and flavor. No different to the greatest fried chicken. Use butter milk soak, your batter, and let it set for 15-20 minutes.