Buffalo Catfish & Grits
In the South, shrimp and grits is a fan favorite for brunch and "Catfish Fridays" might as well be a national holiday. I decided to merge the two and create the ultimate southern brunch dish. I'm a spice lover, I'm southern, so fried catfish coated in buffalo sauce and paired with jalapeño-cheddar grits, is my idea of heaven on Earth.
Since the catfish will be coated in buffalo sauce you want to make sure the fillets are extra crispy. I use Tony Chachere's Fish Fry Mix to achieve the perfect crunchy texture.
To add a little more razzle-dazzle, I jazzed up the grits with some freshly grated cheddar cheese and diced jalapeños.
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 jalapenos (seeded and diced)
- 2 cups water
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 1 cup grits
- 3 tablespoons onions (chopped)
- 3 tablespoons bell peppers (chopped)
- 3 tablespoons celery (chopped)
- 1 1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese (freshly grated)
- Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (to taste)
- 4 catfish fillets
- 1 egg (beaten)
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 Tony Chachere's Fish Fry Mix
- fresh parsley (chopped for garnish)
- oil for frying
- 2/3 cups Frank's Red Hot Sauce
- 1/2 cup butter
- Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning (to taste)
- paprika (to taste)
- Italian seasoning (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon water
Melt butter in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add in all vegetables and cook for 2-4 minutes to soften.
Pour in water and milk, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and whisk in the grits. Cover and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Stir in cheddar cheese and Tony’s seasoning to taste. Keep grits on low until ready to serve. Add a little water at a time if grits start to dry.
Combine buttermilk, egg and hot sauce into a shallow bowl. On a separate plate, pour out the fish fry mix and stir in paprika. Dip catfish in buttermilk dredge and then coat in fish fry batter. Heat cooking oil in heavy bottomed skillet over medium heat. Once sizzling add in catfish to fry until golden brown. Set aside.
Combine first five buffalo sauce ingredients together in a skillet over medium low heat. Mix cornstarch and water together to make a slurry, and pour into sauce. Bring sauce to a brief boil while stirring, then down to low. Stir until sauce thickens.
Add a spoonful or two to the bottom of your serving dish. Top with grits and catfish. Brush tops of catfish with sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley and serve.
I’m a homegrown food lover, whom influenced by my mama and MoMo, grew into a self-taught foodmaker. Outside of my day job in tech,, I enjoy developing Cajun/Creole and Asian Fusion recipes, and taking pretty, mouth-watering photos of the food I make. When not in the kitchen, find me binge watching a true crime docuseries or collecting passport stamps across the globe!