Fried Fish Menu
1. Classic Fried Catfish
2. Old-Fashioned Coleslaw
3. Home-style Baked Beans
4. Buttermilk Hush Puppies
5. Homemade Lemonade

The catfish sold today are raised in man-made ponds and fed controlled diets. This scaleless freshwater fish with its long whiskers looks the same as the somewhat wild-tasting bottom-feeders caught with a cane pole but have a sweeter, milder taste.

Catfish adapts well to most cooking techniques, but Southerners still find the classic--dredged in seasoned cornmeal, fried, and served with Buttermilk Hush Puppies, Old-Fashioned Coleslaw, and Homemade Lemonade--irresistible.

Members of our Foods staff have a tough time arriving at a consensus when it comes to the Southern delicacy of fried catfish. In searching for the perfect fried catfish recipe, we tried a variety of techniques, from soaking catfish overnight to combining the best ingredients from several different recipes. Test Kitchens staffer Lyda Jones shares some of her tips for preparing this taste of the South. And we've included a menu, complete with our favorite side dishes, to complement our Classic Fried Catfish recipe. To make it easier, we've included a grocery list as well.