Fried catfish anyone?

[BigBoresmokepole]

I smoke them like salmon everyone seems to like it when they try it.

 

[user 31289]

I love real catfish either fried or BBQ’d. Used to be a little diner
( Everlenes Diner ) on the Miami River had Catfish Wed. for Lunch all you eat but you had to get back to work so couldn’t ever get enough. They frowned on wrapping pieces in napkins and putting pieces in your pockets. Never cared for that pond grown corn fed whisker fish, to me they don’t taste even close to the real thing.

Rick

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Thanks.
Just a little different than my fish fry method. I'm a season the flour guy, but next time I'll season the fish directly

I love real catfish either fried or BBQ’d. Used to be a little diner
( Everlenes Diner ) on the Miami River had Catfish Wed. for Lunch all you eat but you had to get back to work so couldn’t ever get enough. They frowned on wrapping pieces in napkins and putting pieces in your pockets. Never cared for that pond grown corn fed whisker fish, to me they don’t taste even close to the real thing.

Rick

So I don't eat fish... but love to catch 'em. Where I take @Ninering62 we catch a lot of hardhead and gafftopsail cats (salt water). According to the people I know who eat fish, and eat catfish (that Venn diagram is startin' to look weird), about a third say freshwater is better (bulheads are are local species), a third say the saltwater ones are better (and the gafftops are better than the hardheads), and the others say "they's all catfish man, get the oil out!"

I will say the spines on the saltwater ones are WAY worse - longer, sharper and with some really nasty venom effect, even a small bump that barely breaks the skin hurts like the dickens for a while

 

[Ninering62]

View attachment 37617




So I don't eat fish... but love to catch 'em. Where I take @Ninering62 we catch a lot of hardhead and gafftopsail cats (salt water). According to the people I know who eat fish, and eat catfish (that Venn diagram is startin' to look weird), about a third say freshwater is better (bulheads are are local species), a third say the saltwater ones are better (and the gafftops are better than the hardheads), and the others say "they's all catfish man, get the oil out!"

I will say the spines on the saltwater ones are WAY worse - longer, sharper and with some really nasty venom effect, even a small bump that barely breaks the skin hurts like the dickens for a while

As far as " eating " goes, I'll get busy with fresh water cats deep fried, not a fan of salt water cats. They are fun to catch when you get them 5-10lbs. A/C is right about the spines on the salt water ones that we've been catchin, its easy to get stuck by them & even a tiny lil poke, seriously hurts. Its no joke. It seems those little buggers stick me - a few times gettin them off the hook.

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

Mmmmm smoked kittys

 

[BigBoresmokepole]

Mmmmm smoked kittys

Smoked cats

 

[Ninering62]

View attachment 37656
Smoked cats

Looks really good

 

[MeatMachine]

Thanks.
Just a little different than my fish fry method. I'm a season the flour guy, but next time I'll season the fish directly

I caught my wife in a weak moment because usually when I ask her what the recipe is she says secret lol. She said she massages the spices in the meat and puts it in the fridge for at least a few hours or overnight.

 

[MeatMachine]

Every time I ever had catfish it tasted like mud or dirt but everybody says its good ,,,sure would like to have some good one's...

It depends on the water quality they are caught in.

 

[earlwb]

I always liked eating the catfish with a nice thick cornmeal crust on it and fried or baked enough to get that crispy crunchy outer layer with the soft interior. There used to be a restaurant that we would visit about half way to Wichita Falls Tx from Grapevine Tx. Heck it is likely still there too. We would go there for the Hotter than Hell 100 mile Bike ride every year. Anyway we would stop there on the way back for the all you can eat special. We would work up one heck of a appetite by then.

 

[user 31289]

There isn’t much from the sea I won’t eat and after working in Japan several times that means a lot. But I sure do miss catfish and my Wife and I like to slice it into strips, dry off on paper towels, dip in egg and roll in Abbitts fish breader and drop into the deep fryer for a couple minutes till brown. Catfish fingers. I can’t say enough about Abbitts breading flour as they have a bunch of different flavors and quite a few fish breakers. They are a small family owned flour mill in Williamston, NC so their stuff is in all the Eastern, NC markets. But I’d bet you can buy it online. Try it once and you’re sold

Rick

 

[Hausser1]

....(that Venn diagram is startin' to look weird),

Hilarious!

 

[NicoleN]

They frowned on wrapping pieces in napkins and putting pieces in your pockets.

That's Genius! I'm going to get a purse, big enough for a gallon zip lock bag.

 

[Ninering62]

Absolutely

It depends on the water quality they are caught in.

Absolutely!

 

[bronko220002]

Stop.....you're making my mouth water.

 

[bigdan1965]

Every time I ever had catfish it tasted like mud or dirt but everybody says its good ,,,sure would like to have some good one's...

You gotta cut out all of the bloodline and any dark meat. What you are left with is good clean white meat.

 

[MeatMachine]

Cut The red line out the fillets. That's where the mud/dirt taste comes from

I do cut the blood line out of the bigger fish.

 

[rangerod]

A number of years ago I was at a friends house he was helping me do work on my boat. He asked me to stay for lunch. Baked bullhead. "Sorry Carl I just remembered I need to get home because the dog needs his teeth brushed". Not wanting to hurt their feelings (wife and he) I stayed. Man o-live I'm glad I did. To this day some of the very best fish I've ever eaten.

 

[earlwb]

I had already replied to this thread. My apologies.