Fried Catfish Po-Boy

Course: lunch

Cuisine: Louisiana, New Orleans

Keyword: how to make a po-boy, New Orleans cuisine, Po-Boy

Prep Time: 20

Cook Time: 20

Remoulade prep and chill time: 1 30

Total Time: 2 10

Servings: people

Calories: 427kcal

Author: Kris Longwell

This Fried Catfish Po-Boy is about as classic New Orleans cuisine as it comes. You can of course go with fried shrimp, or whatever you like...but we love it with classic Southern fried catfish! Be sure to make the Cajun remoulade! It can be made several days in advance.

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Equipment

Large skillet for frying

Ingredients

Do Ahead

Cajun Remoulade sauce

For the Coleslaw

3 cups coleslaw mix about 8 ounces
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 tsp granulated sugar
½ tsp Kosher salt
¼ tsp black pepper
1 tsp celery seed

For the Fried Catfish

vegetable oil Enough for 1 to 2 inches in a sturdy skillet
4 7 oz catfish fillets skinned
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 cup milk
2 large eggs lightly beaten
1 cup cornmeal fine or medium ground, not too coarse
½ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp cayenne pepper

For the Sandwich

4 long soft-crust Italian rolls split
1 cup Cajun remoulade
½ cup sandwich pickles sliced
3 large tomatoes sliced
Louisiana hot sauce for serving
Lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

Make the Cajun Remoulade Sauce

Prepare the Cajun remoulade sauce. Keep covered in the refrigerator until ready to use. Can be made 3 days in advance.

Make the Coleslaw

In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and celery seed.
Place the slaw mix (dry ingredients only) in a medium-sized bowl. Add the dressing and stir until fully coated. Set aside. If not used within an hour, place in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 3 hours.

Prepare the Catfish

Heat the oil in a large sturdy skillet over medium-high heat, until reaches 350°F, or when a small piece of bread sizzles and browns in about 30 seconds when tossed in the oil.
Place the milk and eggs together in a medium bowl or pan, and whisk together.
In a separate bowl or pan, mix together the cornmeal, flour, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper, and cayenne (½ tsp).
One at a time, dip the catfish fillets into the wet mixture, then dredge in the corn meal/flour mixture, completely covering the fillets.
In batches, fry the fillets until golden brown, about 3 - 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels.

Assemble the Po-boy

If desired, cut the ends off of the rolls, and if they are long rolls, cut them in half.
Smear a good helping (about 2 tablespoons) of the remoulade sauce on the bottom of each roll. Then add a layer of pickles, tomato slices, then the catfish fillets, and top with coleslaw.
Add a good few squeezes of fresh lemon and several dashes of hot sauce. Top with bun. Serve at once.

Notes

See the video near the top of the blog post for visual guidance. If you liked the video, please subscribe to our YouTube channel.

The remoulade can be prepared up to 3 days in advance and the coleslaw can be made several hours before serving. Keep both covered in the fridge until ready to use.

Frying the catfish fillets delivers a truly authentic taste, however, you can dredge the fillets and then bake them on a baking sheet in a 425°F oven for 15 to 20 minutes, until crispy. To air fry them, spray the breaded fish with olive oil. Air fry at 400°F for 10 minutes. Flip, and air fry for another 3 to 5 minutes until crispy.

Although the sandwiches are good all day long, they are best served when the catfish is hot and still very crispy. The longer it sits after being fried, it will lose its crispness.

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