Duration
1 hour and 15 minutes
Serves
4
Chef’s notes
Crispy friedcatfish, tender greens, and creamy grits—it doesn’t get any more Southern than this. I love this dish because the fish and sides taste so good together, as well as being relatively simple and inexpensive to prepare.
I use bacon in the collard greens instead oftraditional ham hocks, because it’s an ingredient I normally keep around anyway. To balance out the bitterness of the greens, use vinegar and sugar.
Ingredients
- 4 catfish fillets
- Louisiana fish fry breading
- 1 pt. buttermilk
- Frying oil
- Hot sauce
- Lemon wedges
Collard Greens
- 2 large bunches collard greens
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ¼ tsp. white sugar, plus extra
- 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
- Salt
Cheesy Grits
- 1 cup quick grits
- 4 cups water
- Shredded cheddar cheese, to taste
- Salt
Also works with
Any flaky fish
Preparation
- Pull stems off collard greens and triple rinse leaves to remove dirt and grit. Roughly chop the leaves. Allow to drip dry in a colander.
- Trim off dark or red areas on catfish fillets. Place fish in a zip-top bag and submerge with buttermilk. Keep cold in the refrigerator.
- In a large, deep skillet or medium pot, add chopped onion and bacon and cook over medium to medium-low heat until translucent and rendered, stirring frequently. Then add garlic and pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds. Add chopped collard greens to the pot (and more oil if needed). If your pot or skillet isn’t big enough, add the greens in stages as they wilt, and increase heat if needed. Add chicken stock, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender, stirring occasionally. Finally, stir in sugar and vinegar to help counter the bitterness of the greens—add more sugar if needed. Generously season with salt. Keep warm.
- To make grits, boil 4 cups of water in a saucepan. Gradually stir in grits and simmer until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Take off heat and stir in cheese until melted. Season to taste with salt. Keep warm. If needed, reheat on low with a splash of water to loosen grits.
- Heat frying oil to 350° to 375°F. Rinse the buttermilk off the catfish and coat it with the fish fry breading. When the oil reaches temperature, fry breaded fish until golden and crispy on both sides. Serve catfish immediately with collard greens, grits, hot sauce, and lemon wedges.
Shop
Sign In or Create a Free Account
Access the newest seasons of MeatEater, save content, and join in discussions with the Crew and others in the MeatEater community.
Related
Recipes
Catfish Po-Boy
(2)
Catfish is the everyman fish, gracing waters across the country. It's mild flavored and holds up well fried in hot grease, though it does seem like there is never enough. Po-boys are a great way to spread the goods to make sure there is plenty of this treat to go around. Feel free to substitute any...
Michael VialpandoJul 25, 2022
Read MorePlay Now
Recipes
Catfish Cake Sliders
(1)
Blue catfish are fascinating. There are deep cultural, social, and economic ties associated with eating these whiskered fish. They're still considered by many to be bottom feeders, and unlike salmon, tuna, striped bass, and most commercially available fish, they don’t command a high price point or...
Wade TruongAug 8, 2023
Read MorePlay Now
Recipes
Roasted Oyster Mushrooms with Cheesy Polenta
(0)In the Midwest, you can forage oyster mushrooms summer through fall. Find them growing on dead or dying trees, fallen logs, or stumps, and preferably under the cover of shade. They come in an array of colors: pearl, tan, brown, gray, and yellow. Cultivated oyster mushrooms may even be pink. Their...
Jenny Nguyen-WheatleySep 6, 2022
Read MorePlay NowReviews
Save this recipe
Fried Catfish with Collard Greens and Cheesy Grits
Recipe by:Jenny Nguyen-Wheatley
Duration
1 hour and 15 minutes
Serves
4
Chef’s notes
Crispy friedcatfish, tender greens, and creamy grits—it doesn’t get any more Southern than this. I love this dish because the fish and sides taste so good together, as well as being relatively simple and inexpensive to prepare.
I use bacon in the collard greens instead oftraditional ham hocks, because it’s an ingredient I normally keep around anyway. To balance out the bitterness of the greens, use vinegar and sugar.
Ingredients
- 4 catfish fillets
- Louisiana fish fry breading
- 1 pt. buttermilk
- Frying oil
- Hot sauce
- Lemon wedges
Collard Greens
- 2 large bunches collard greens
- 1 onion, chopped
- 4 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
- 1 tbsp. olive oil
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ¼ tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
- 2 cups chicken stock
- ¼ tsp. white sugar, plus extra
- 1 tsp. white wine vinegar
- Salt
Cheesy Grits
- 1 cup quick grits
- 4 cups water
- Shredded cheddar cheese, to taste
- Salt
Also works with
Any flaky fish
Preparation
- Pull stems off collard greens and triple rinse leaves to remove dirt and grit. Roughly chop the leaves. Allow to drip dry in a colander.
- Trim off dark or red areas on catfish fillets. Place fish in a zip-top bag and submerge with buttermilk. Keep cold in the refrigerator.
- In a large, deep skillet or medium pot, add chopped onion and bacon and cook over medium to medium-low heat until translucent and rendered, stirring frequently. Then add garlic and pepper flakes and sauté for 30 seconds. Add chopped collard greens to the pot (and more oil if needed). If your pot or skillet isn’t big enough, add the greens in stages as they wilt, and increase heat if needed. Add chicken stock, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour until tender, stirring occasionally. Finally, stir in sugar and vinegar to help counter the bitterness of the greens—add more sugar if needed. Generously season with salt. Keep warm.
- To make grits, boil 4 cups of water in a saucepan. Gradually stir in grits and simmer until tender, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Take off heat and stir in cheese until melted. Season to taste with salt. Keep warm. If needed, reheat on low with a splash of water to loosen grits.
- Heat frying oil to 350° to 375°F. Rinse the buttermilk off the catfish and coat it with the fish fry breading. When the oil reaches temperature, fry breaded fish until golden and crispy on both sides. Serve catfish immediately with collard greens, grits, hot sauce, and lemon wedges.