OK, I'll stir it up a little. This is my opinion of great tasing catfish. Number one stay with smaller fish, larger than 3-4 pounds will always have a stronger taste. One to two pound fish are best. And stay away from farm raised fish, there is no way to get them to taste good.
I use simple yellow cornmeal, fine ground black pepper, salt to taste. Fry in vegatable oil. Make sure oil is hot, every two or three batches of fish, strain the oil to get the cornmeal out.If you leave the cornmeal residue in the oil, it will lay on the bottom of the pot and burn, putting a burnt taste in the fish.

i cant believe all this talk...and no one! i mean no one knows how to use the secret ingredint that sits in everyones frig!!!!!!! Geese! i guess ya'll dont know it. and i do! HA! i dont know who taught ya'll how to fry fish. You put me on some fillets, and you'll wanna hire me to cook for you!

Mustard?

When I fillet a large batch of fish i keep a large cotainer of ice water near the cleaning table. As I finish cutting the fillet i will wash it and then submerge it in the ice bath. After all my cleaning is done i pull the fish out and freeze it keeps them nice and fresh.

Mustard?? Man, when I get fish that taste so crappy I need to cover them in mustard, I'll chunk those filets in the trash.

Here is one of my favorite recipes i discovered while messing around in the kitchen use the ingredients listed below and enjoy.

8 catfish fillets
cajun marinade
salt
pepper
oregano
6 eggs
2-3 jalapeno peppers
corn meal
peanut oil


Prepare 8 average size catfish fillets.
Clean the fillets and make sure they are free of bones. First use a pre purchased marinade or create your own. Inject a generous protion of marinade into the fillets to seal in the cajun flavor. Rub the fillets with black pepper for a little more kick and flavor.

2. Crack the 6 eggs and beat the until smooth.

3. Cut the 2-3 jalapeno peppers very finely and mix into the eggs.

4. Add pepper,salt, and oregano to the egg and jalapeno mixture and stir.

5. Cover the fillets with the mixture and dip into corn meal coating the fillets completely.

6.Prepare your oil in a cast iron skillet or fish fryer if you have one available. 300-350 degrees works the best.

7. Fry the fish fillets until golden brown, to make sure the fillets are cooked completely.


Serve the fillets with tarter sauce or plain, the wonderful cajun and jalapeno flavors will fill you mouth. A side dish of fries and a side salad work well with this dish.

Try this one on for size it is really a good dish and has a little kick to it.

8 catfish fillets
salt and pepper
pepporn corn ranch dressing
cheese sauce or velveeta cheese
butter or pam
tomatoes
bellpeppers
salad
Marinade Injector


Directions:

Clean and prepare 8 large catfish fillets. season with salt and pepper lightly.

1.melt cheese of choice, velveeta cheese works very well.

2. Inject mixture of cheese and peppercorn ranch dressing into the fish fillets.

3. spray the grill or skillet with pam or butter, whichever you choose

4. Cook the fillet until done, usually about 10-15 minutes.

Place the fillets on a nice bed of fresh lettuce and bellpepper slices. Top the fillets with fresh thin slices tomatoes.

I have never tried the mustard thing, and I have never had any bad tasting catfish fillets. Of course I only keep one to three pound fish for my own consumption.

Try this one on for size, it is really something different but at the same time its something familiar. Catfish is great on the grilled as are fajitas so why not combine the two.

6 catfish fillets
tortillas
bellpeppers
onions
sour cream
shredded cheese
taco seasoning
guacamole
peppercorn ranch dressing


Directions:
Season Catfish fillets with taco seasoning, black pepper, and salt.

1. cut the fillets into strips

2. cut bellpeppers and onions into strips

3. Put the peppers,onions, and fish strips onto a hot grill for about 10-12 minutes

4. Add tortillas to the grill to brown

5. layer hot tortilla with sour cream, guacamole, and cheese

6. Add catfish strips along with peppercorn ranch dressing and hot sauce. Cover in cheese.


Prepare a large pot of refried beans. Pour beans into a serving bowl and scoop out the center of the beans and fill with sourcream, cheese, and ranch dressing. Drizzle the beans with hot sauce and more cheese. A nice cold glass of ice tea works very well with this meal. Something different, but worth the effort

I can't stand it any longer...dwaynez sharing all of his fine sounding recipes. Here is one I've been using lately that is so good I can't keep the fish in my freezer long enough to have a big fish fry for the neighborhood like I planned. And, I normally don't like reheated fish, but they are even better the second time around with this.

Cut your filets into strips, or chunks. Get a package of bacon and a box of tooth picks. For a marinate you need some olive oil/balsamic vinegar salad dressing.

Cut your bacon strips in two pieces. Then wrap each piece of fish with a half a strip of bacon, like you are making filet mignon, and toothpick it (two to three toothpicks to keep it held together good and tight). I then let these marinate in the icebox in the salad dressing about two hours or so. Then grill.

I typically grill them on the hot end until they are done, or almost done, then set them down on the cooler end and let them smoke for another 20 minutes.

Man, I overstuff myself bad with this recipe!

here is my suggestion: put your fillets in a plastic bag with tap water. Shake it like crazy till it's all foamy.
Rinse and repeat until the water comes out clear. It will take at least three times. When the water is clean, the fillets are clean. I think it is the oil in the meat that holds all the "fishy" taste, and oil + water+ shaking=foam.

Here is something I tried the other day and it worked great:
use masa mix for batter instead of corn meal. It comes out all golden and crispy like Long John Silvers.

MikeC that sounds good I would have to add a slice of japaleno and a little swiss cheese in the roll .

Jat, this is what the lemon juice concentrate in ice water will do for you, with far less work than all the shaking and washing. The citrus acid breaks down the oils for you.

tjftmf, this might be good, but the olive oil/balsamic vinegar salad dressing is the real key. Marinate with anything else, for example Italian dressing like I did the first time, and it won't taste nearly as good.

The smokey tasting soft center created by the fish, in combination with the crispy bacon ring around it. It's explosive if done right. I would just worry the jalopeno might overwhelm the smokey taste? The cheese would definetly be okay, if added near the end of the smoking process.

A LARGE bottle of Louisiana hot sauce, sprinkled all over a batch of channel cats, cover with a damp cloth and refrigerate for at least an hour while fixing the taters, hush puppies, and getting the peanut oil up to speed, and sweet tea to wash it down with. Dredge them filets in yellow corn meal with salt, red pepper and then

LORDY MERCY!!!! READY FER SOME GRUB

Mike either way sounds good to me. When do we eat.