Catfish Po' Boy
A Southern classic featuring golden cornmeal-crusted catfish fillets tucked into a soft French roll and dressed with cool remoulade, shredded lettuce, tomato, and pickles.
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs catfish fillets, cut into 4-inch pieces
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1.5 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper, freshly ground
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)
- 4 rolls soft French rolls or hoagie rolls, split and lightly toasted
- 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce
- 2 medium ripe tomato, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup dill pickle slices
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 2 tsp hot sauce (such as Crystal or Tabasco)
- 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
Instructions
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1
Make the remoulade: stir together 1/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 tsp Dijon mustard, 2 tsp hot sauce (such as Crystal or Tabasco), and 2 tsp fresh lemon juice in a small bowl. Season with a pinch of salt. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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2
Pat 1.5 lbs cut into 4-inch pieces catfish fillets dry with paper towels. Pour 1 cup buttermilk into a shallow dish. In a separate shallow dish, whisk together 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal, 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1.5 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper.
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3
Dip each piece of catfish in the buttermilk, letting excess drip off, then dredge in the cornmeal mixture, pressing to adhere. Set on a wire rack.
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4
Heat 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying) in a large, heavy skillet (cast iron works best) over medium-high heat until it reaches 360°F (182°C). Carefully add the fish pieces, working in batches to avoid crowding.
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5
Fry the catfish until golden brown and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), about 3-4 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate.
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6
Spread the remoulade generously on both cut sides of each 4 rolls split and lightly toasted soft French rolls or hoagie rolls.
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7
Layer 2 cups shredded iceberg lettuce, 2 medium thinly sliced ripe tomato, and 1/2 cup dill pickle slices on the bottom half of each roll. Top with the fried catfish. Close the sandwiches and serve immediately.