From Cook's Illustrated, here are their notes:For a crunchy, not gritty, cornmeal crust on this delta delicacy, we found that processing half of the cornmeal to a fine powder in a spice grinder gave the fried fish just the right texture. Along with salt and pepper, cayenne and granulated garlic season our cornmeal coating. A dip in hot sauce–laced buttermilk helps the coating adhere and seasons the fish even deeper. To maximize the crunchy exterior, we halve the fillets to make catfish “tenders,” and after only a few minutes in hot oil, they emerge crisp and golden brown.
BEFORE YOU BEGIN
Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more. If your spice grinder is small, grind the cornmeal in batches or process it in a blender for 60 to 90 seconds. Serve with our Comeback Sauce.
Ingredients
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2 cups cornmeal
4 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons pepper
2 teaspoons granulated garlic
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
4 (6- to 8-ounce) catfish fillets, halved lengthwise along natural seam
2 quarts peanut or vegetable oil
Lemon wedges
Instructions
1. Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line half of rack with triple layer of paper towels. Whisk buttermilk and hot sauce together in shallow dish. Process 1 cup cornmeal in spice grinder to fine powder, 30 to 45 seconds. Whisk salt, pepper, granulated garlic, cayenne, remaining 1 cup cornmeal, and ground cornmeal together in second shallow dish.
2. Pat fish dry with paper towels. Working with 1 piece of fish at a time, dip fish in buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip back into dish. Dredge fish in cornmeal mixture, shaking off excess, and transfer to large plate.
3. Add oil to large Dutch oven until it measures about 1 1/2 inches deep and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. Working with 4 pieces of fish at a time, add fish to hot oil. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 325 and 350 degrees. Fry fish until golden brown and crispy, about 5 minutes. Transfer fish to paper towel–lined side of prepared rack and let drain for 1 minute, then move to unlined side of rack. Return oil to 350 degrees and repeat with remaining fish. Serve with lemon wedges.