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Fried Catfish with Bacon Green Beans

By Jessica Rudolph

Published on June 22, 2021

Time

55 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Fried Catfish with Bacon Green Beans

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped1 pound green beans, trimmed1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes 1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided¾ teaspoon pepper, divided¼ cup buttermilk 1 tablespoon Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce 2 (10- to 12-ounce) skinless catfish fillets, cut in half lengthwise1½ cups fine-grind yellow cornmeal ½ cup vegetable oil for frying

Before You Begin

Serve with lemon wedges.

Instructions

  1.  Cook bacon in large saucepan over medium-high heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add green beans, tomatoes and their juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cover; reduce heat to medium; and cook, stirring occasionally, until green beans are tender, about 20 minutes.
  2.  Meanwhile, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper in large zipper-lock bag. Add catfish, seal bag, and turn to coat. Add cornmeal to bag, seal bag, and shake to coat.
  3.  Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add catfish to skillet and fry until cooked through and coating is golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes, flipping catfish halfway through frying. Transfer catfish to paper towel–lined plate. Serve catfish with green beans.
Fried Catfish with Bacon Green Beans
Photography by Steve Klise. Styling by Chantal Lambeth.

Fried Catfish with Bacon Green Beans

Save

Time

55 minutes

Yield

Serves 4

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
2 (10- to 12-ounce) skinless catfish fillets, cut in half lengthwise
1½ cups fine-grind yellow cornmeal
½ cup vegetable oil for frying

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
2 (10- to 12-ounce) skinless catfish fillets, cut in half lengthwise
1½ cups fine-grind yellow cornmeal
½ cup vegetable oil for frying

Ingredients

6 slices bacon, chopped
1 pound green beans, trimmed
1 (14.5-ounce) can fire-roasted diced tomatoes
1¼ teaspoons table salt, divided
¾ teaspoon pepper, divided
¼ cup buttermilk
1 tablespoon Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
2 (10- to 12-ounce) skinless catfish fillets, cut in half lengthwise
1½ cups fine-grind yellow cornmeal
½ cup vegetable oil for frying

Why This Recipe Works

Shaking the catfish fillets with the buttermilk mixture and cornmeal in a plastic bag made for quick and easy cleanup.

Before You Begin

Serve with lemon wedges.

Instructions

  1.  Cook bacon in large saucepan over medium-high heat until crispy, 5 to 7 minutes. Add green beans, tomatoes and their juice, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon pepper. Cover; reduce heat to medium; and cook, stirring occasionally, until green beans are tender, about 20 minutes.
  2.  Meanwhile, combine buttermilk, hot sauce, remaining 1 teaspoon salt, and remaining ½ teaspoon pepper in large zipper-lock bag. Add catfish, seal bag, and turn to coat. Add cornmeal to bag, seal bag, and shake to coat.
  3.  Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add catfish to skillet and fry until cooked through and coating is golden brown and crispy, 6 to 8 minutes, flipping catfish halfway through frying. Transfer catfish to paper towel–lined plate. Serve catfish with green beans.

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