By Colin Kearns

That’s right. Twenty-three years ago today, President Ronald Regan designated this day as National Catfish Day. Granted, the government was recognizing “farm-raised” catfish specifically, but I see no problem in extending the parameters of the occasion to include, er, wild catfish.

I was thrilled when I learned about his “holiday” because I don’t think there’s one fish—freshwater or saltwater—that I like better than catfish. What this fish lacks in looks, it more than compensates for with flavor. And next to chicken, it’s probably the most delicious thing on earth when fried.

Speaking of fried catfish, several years ago the magazine’s Wild Chef columnist, Jonathan Miles, traveled to Oxford, Miss., and wrote a story about the legendary catfish-and-barbeque joint, Taylor Grocery. In honor of National Catfish Day, we’ve included the restaurant’s signature fried catfish recipe below.

It’s unlikely that I’ll have the time (or the fillets) to cook this recipe at home tonight, as much as I’d like to. But there is a restaurant near the office that has a catfish sandwich on the menu that I’ve been meaning to try. So that’s how I plan to celebrate.

How about you? Will you cook some catfish in honor of this historic day? Even if you don’t have some fillets on hand, let’s at least hear about the best catfish recipe you’ve ever enjoyed.

Whole Fried Catfish with Green Onions and “Dickey Sauce”
This, folks, is the real deal: deep-fried catfish as it’s served at Taylor Grocery. “Dickey sauce” is nothing more than tartar sauce, but some Oxford locals privately renamed it in memory of the late poet and novelist James Dickey (Deliverance), who once dined at Taylor Grocery. When small bowls of tartar sauce were brought to the table, Dickey—famed for his formidable whiskey consumption—grabbed a spoon and lapped up all the sauce in his bowl. “That,” he announced, putting down his spoon, “was the best soup I’ve ever eaten.” —Jonathan Miles

Serves four

Ingredients
4 Mississippi pond-raised or wild catfish, skinned and deheaded (about 1 1/2 pounds each)
2 eggs
Dash of Worcestershire sauce
Dash of hot sauce
2 1/2 cups milk
1 cup yellow cornmeal 
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon lemon pepper
2 quarts peanut oil
8 scallions
3/4 cup Miracle Whip
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup pickle relish
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Procedure
Dickey Sauce: In a medium bowl, fold together the Miracle Whip, mayonnaise, relish, onion, and lemon juice. Cover and refrigerate it until ready to use.

Catfish: Combine the eggs, Worcestershire, hot sauce, and milk together in a large bowl and beat it until frothy. In a shallow dish large enough to contain the fish, whisk together the cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, and lemon pepper.

With a small knife, score both sides of the catfish four times across, deeply, about 11/2 inches apart. Dip the catfish into the egg wash, then dredge it completely with the cornmeal mixture, evenly coating the fish; set it aside.

In a large pot or deep fryer, heat the oil to 325 degrees. Add the fish—one at a time for whole fish (if using fillets, two at a time)—and cook 7–8 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp. Remove and place on paper towels to drain. Serve with scallions and Dickey sauce.

Comments (7)

from Greenhead wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Sounds great! My favorite recipe for catfish is similar, but instead of the egg wash, the fish is dredged in yellow mustard before the cornmeal. Excellent.

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from dneaster3 wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

miracle whip AND mayonnaise? what's not to like!?!

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from countitandone wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Oh yeah, we will be havin' Fried Catfish tonight! I will cook for six friends using this time tested receipe:

Ingredients~
6, 6oz catfish fillets
2 cups whole milk
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tblsp salt, seasoned
2 tsp pepper
1 c. finely chopped yellow onion
1 clove finely chopped garlic
6 full length green onions, left whole
Bacon grease
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c. "Pik-A-Pepper Sauce"
1 tbls finely chopped parsley
tartar sauce
"Dragon's Breath" hot sauce

Prep~
Arrange fillets, single layer in shallow pan, cover with milk. Cover, chill 2 hours.

Combine cornmeal, seasoned salt, pepper, onions, garlic, salt and Pik-A-Pepper in shallow dish.

Remove fillets from fridge, allow to come to room temp, about 15 min. Drain & discard milk. Salt each using 1 tsp for all.

Dredge fillets in cornmeal mix, turning to cover all.

Heat 2 inches bacon grease in cast iron skillet to 325. Fry for 3 minutes each side until brown. Drain, pat dry with paper towels.

Squirt lemon juice on each, sprinkle parsley, serve with one whole green onion on the side.

Dip fillets in tartar, squirt on one drop Dragon's Breath
per bite, enjoy whole green onion dipped in tartar.

Happy National Catfish Day, libations optional.

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from blackdawgz wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Fried Catfish!!!

Wish I had some right now.

Mmmmm mm!

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from Bryan Nelson wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Oh, I have not had fried catfish in 12 yrs. which is far to long for a good ole boy from NC. But here in UK, Catfish isn't something you see on the menus. My dad makes a mean Cajun fried Catfish, he usually cooks it at cookouts, and it always goes down well!
Thanks for the memory!

Bryan Nelson
Originally from mountains of NC
Now in England!
www.Sportingagent.com

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from Mike Diehl wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

That looks great. Regrettably my wife is not too fond of fish, so I only get to eat good fried fish at restaraunts. Needless to say, in land-locked Arizona, "good fried fish" is very difficult to come by.

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from countitandone wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Oh yeah, we will be havin' Fried Catfish tonight! I will cook for six friends using this time tested receipe:

Ingredients~
6, 6oz catfish fillets
2 cups whole milk
2 cups yellow cornmeal
1 tblsp salt, seasoned
2 tsp pepper
1 c. finely chopped yellow onion
1 clove finely chopped garlic
6 full length green onions, left whole
Bacon grease
1/4 c lemon juice
1/4 c. "Pik-A-Pepper Sauce"
1 tbls finely chopped parsley
tartar sauce
"Dragon's Breath" hot sauce

Prep~
Arrange fillets, single layer in shallow pan, cover with milk. Cover, chill 2 hours.

Combine cornmeal, seasoned salt, pepper, onions, garlic, salt and Pik-A-Pepper in shallow dish.

Remove fillets from fridge, allow to come to room temp, about 15 min. Drain & discard milk. Salt each using 1 tsp for all.

Dredge fillets in cornmeal mix, turning to cover all.

Heat 2 inches bacon grease in cast iron skillet to 325. Fry for 3 minutes each side until brown. Drain, pat dry with paper towels.

Squirt lemon juice on each, sprinkle parsley, serve with one whole green onion on the side.

Dip fillets in tartar, squirt on one drop Dragon's Breath
per bite, enjoy whole green onion dipped in tartar.

Happy National Catfish Day, libations optional.

+2 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from blackdawgz wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Fried Catfish!!!

Wish I had some right now.

Mmmmm mm!

+1 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Greenhead wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Sounds great! My favorite recipe for catfish is similar, but instead of the egg wash, the fish is dredged in yellow mustard before the cornmeal. Excellent.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from dneaster3 wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

miracle whip AND mayonnaise? what's not to like!?!

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Bryan Nelson wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

Oh, I have not had fried catfish in 12 yrs. which is far to long for a good ole boy from NC. But here in UK, Catfish isn't something you see on the menus. My dad makes a mean Cajun fried Catfish, he usually cooks it at cookouts, and it always goes down well!
Thanks for the memory!

Bryan Nelson
Originally from mountains of NC
Now in England!
www.Sportingagent.com

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

from Mike Diehl wrote 1 year 47 weeks ago

That looks great. Regrettably my wife is not too fond of fish, so I only get to eat good fried fish at restaraunts. Needless to say, in land-locked Arizona, "good fried fish" is very difficult to come by.

0 Good Comment? Yes | No | Report

Post a Comment

 

All submitted comments are subject to the rules set forth in our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.