Fried Catfish
Clean, wipe dry, and cut the fish in squares two or three inches across and about an inch thick. Beat 2 eggs very light, season with salt and pepper and a spoonful of Worcestershire sauce. Dip the fish in seasoned egg, then roll in cracker crumbs or cornmeal, and fry in one-half each lard and beef drippings until well browned. Garnish with sliced lemon and parsley or celery tops.
A plain skillet-fried catfish that assumes a cook with a fat crock on the back of the stove. The only real adjustments are the frying medium and the fish itself.
- The fatHalf lard, half beef drippings gives a high smoke point and a savory edge. Peanut oil or a neutral vegetable oil behaves the same way; use enough to come a third of the way up the pieces, and hold it at 350-365F.
- Cut and thicknessTwo- to three-inch squares an inch thick suits the thick shoulder meat of a large wild catfish. Farmed fillets sold today are thinner and more uniform, so cut them into fingers and expect three to four minutes a side rather than the longer fry the original implies.
- Egg washTwo beaten eggs with salt, pepper and a spoonful of Worcestershire will coat about a pound and a half of fish. Thinning with a tablespoon or two of milk makes it easier to drain off the excess, which is what keeps the crumb coat from going gummy.
- Cracker crumbs or cornmealCracker crumbs of the period generally meant soda crackers crushed fine. Cornmeal is the more traditional Southern choice; fine or medium grind adheres best, and a coarse stone-ground meal is likelier to shed unless you press it on and let the coated fish rest a while before frying.
- DonenessFish is done at 145F, when the flesh flakes and turns opaque all the way through. Browning and doneness coincide fairly well at this thickness, but check the thickest square rather than trusting color alone.
- DrainingDrain on a rack rather than paper, and salt the moment the pieces come out of the fat. Stacking hot fried fish on absorbent paper steams the underside soft.
- YieldThe recipe never states how much fish; judging by the two eggs, it would serve three or four as a main course. Fry in batches so the fat does not drop below 325F.