Skip the restaurants, and make your own fried catfish at home.

There’s something special about a batch of crispy, homemade Southern fried catfish.

Catch the fish atyour favorite lake, and we bet it will taste even sweeter.

Southern Living Classic Fried Catfish on a platter to serve with lemon wedges

Credit:Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Our key ingredient for the crispiest, most satisfying crust?

We add in yellow cornmeal for a boost in flavor and texture.

Cornmeal also has the added benefit of absorbing less oil than other breading options.

Southern Living Fried Catfish ingredients

Credit:Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

We’ve all had soggy fried catfish, and that’s just not what we’re aiming for today.

Thaw overnight in the refrigerator if frozen.

A dipping sauce liketartar sauce, aioli, orremouladecan add a nice boost of flavor and texture.

fried catfish - southern living

Credit:Greg DuPree; Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling; Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Don’t forget to squeeze over some fresh lemon juice for a hit of acidity.

Ingredients

1 1/2cupsbuttermilk

1/4tsp.hot sauce

6(4- to 6-oz.)

Cover and chill 8 hours, turning once.

Southern Living Classic Fried Catfish whisking together buttermilk and hot sauce

Credit:Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Cover and chill 8 hours, turning once.

Make cornmeal mixture:

Combine cornmeal and next 6 ingredients in a shallow dish.

Dredge catfish:

Let fish stand at room temperature 10 minutes.

Southern Living Classic Fried Catfish marinating the fish in the buttermilk mixture

Credit:Cover and chill 8 hours, turning once.

Remove from buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip off.

Dredge fish in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess.

Transfer to a wire rack on a paper towel-lined jelly-roll pan.

Southern Living Classic Fried Catfish stirring together the cornmeal mixture

Credit:Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Keep warm in a 225F oven until ready to serve.

All-purpose flour or plain yellow cornmeal may be substituted for masa harina.

Fried catfish has a mild, sweet flavor and tender flesh, contrasted by the crisp, cornmeal coating.

Southern Living Classic Fried Catfish dredging the fish in the cornmeal mixture

Credit:Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

see to it to coat the catfish completely before frying.

Southern Living Fried Catfish coated before frying

Credit:Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Southern Living Fried Catfish frying the fish

Credit:Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Southern Living Classic Fried Catfish frying

Credit:Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley

Southern Living Classic Fried Catfish on a cooling rack on a baking sheet to keep warm

Credit:Greg DuPree, Food Stylist: Julian Hensarling, Prop Stylist: Christina Daley