Catfish Nuggets
These little golden nuggets of catfish are crispy on the outside, tender and flaky on the inside, and they disappear off the plate faster than you can say 'pass the hot sauce.' It's the kind of dish that brings everybody to the table, from the littlest ones who love picking them up with their fingers to the grown folks who sneak extras when they think nobody's looking.
Cooking tutorial
Ingredients
- 2 lbs catfish fillets, cut into 2-inch nugget-sized pieces
- 1 cup cornmeal
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp seasoned salt
- 1 tbsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- Oil for frying (about 2 quarts vegetable oil)
Instructions
- 1
Pat your catfish nuggets dry with paper towels — this helps them get real crispy. Don't skip this step.
- 2
Mix your cornmeal, flour, seasoned salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and paprika together in a shallow bowl. This is your coating, and it's where all the flavor lives.
- 3
In another shallow bowl, whisk together your eggs and milk until it's all combined and smooth.
- 4
Heat your oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or deep skillet to 350°F. You can test it by dropping in a little pinch of cornmeal — if it sizzles right up and turns golden, you're ready.
- 5
Take a nugget, dip it in the egg mixture, then roll it in that cornmeal mix until it's coated all over. Shake off any extra.
- 6
Working in batches so you don't crowd the pan, carefully place your nuggets in the hot oil. Don't move them around too much — let them cook undisturbed for about 3 to 4 minutes until that bottom is golden brown.
- 7
Flip them over and fry another 2 to 3 minutes until they're golden all over and cooked through. You want that outside to be crispy and that inside to be tender.
- 8
Use a slotted spoon to scoop them out and lay them on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle a little extra seasoned salt on them while they're still hot.
Pro Tips
- ★Keep your oil temperature steady at 350°F — too cool and they'll be greasy, too hot and they'll burn before the inside cooks through.
- ★Don't reuse that oil more than two or three times, and strain out the bits with a fine sieve between batches so you get clean nuggets every time.