Classic Fried Catfish

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 6
• 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
• 1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
• 6 catfish fillets (4- to 6-oz.)
• 1/3 cup plain yellow cornmeal
• 1/3 cup masa harina (corn flour)
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon ground red pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• peanut oil

Recipe

• 1 whisk together buttermilk and hot sauce.
• 2 place catfish in a single layer in a 13- x 9-inch baking dish; pour buttermilk mixture over fish. cover and chill 8 hours, turning once.
• 3 combine cornmeal and next 6 ingredients in a shallow dish.
• 4 let fish stand at room temperature 10 minutes. remove from buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off. dredge fish in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess.
• 5 pour oil to depth of 2 inches into a large, deep cast-iron or heavy-duty skillet; heat to 360°.
• 6 fry fish, in batches, 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. transfer to a wire rack on a paper towel-lined jelly-roll pan. keep warm in a 225° oven until ready to serve.
• 7 *all-purpose flour or plain yellow cornmeal may be substituted.