3-Ingredient Fried Fish
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I love cooking with my crock pot, but sometimes I just need to break free and go crazy…hence the fish today! I love fish. I know a lot of people absolutely do not, but I’m like a huge fan. Especially right now, while I’m pregnant and can’t really eat a lot of fish.  My favorite, though is 3-Ingredient Fried Fish…catfish, bass, you name it, it’s all good fried this way!
What You Need to Make 3-Ingredient Fried Fish:
- 2 cups Cornmeal
- 2 cups Milk
- 1 lb Fish (like I said, catfish whole or filleted, bass, hybrids, any kind of fish will do, though I prefer freshwater)
How to Make 3-Ingredient Fried Fish:
- In a large frying pan (I like to use a dutch oven since the sides are tall and the grease is less likely to splash out), place about an inch of oil (vegetable or canola are what I usually use, although I’ve been known to substitute olive oil for half). Heat oil on medium-high heat until a pinch of cornmeal sizzles.
- Put your cornmeal in a mixing bowl–if you want to add seasoning, this would be the place to mix it in.
- Pour your milk in a similar mixing bowl.
- Dip each piece of fish into cornmeal, then in milk, then back in the cornmeal, being sure in each pass to coat the piece of fish completely.
- Place fish in a single layer in the frying oil. BE CAREFUL!
- When the underside has browned to a nice golden hue, filp the fish pieces. Remove when the entire fish is golden brown. Fish should be stiff-ish if the piece is thin.
Pro-Tips for Making 3-Ingredient Fried Fish Extra Awesome:
- Try mixing-in some Cajun Seasoning for a little kick.
- If you slice potatoes into wedges, then toss them in the remaining cornmeal, you can fry them at the same time or following the completion of the fish-frying effort…mmmmm…perfectly paired…
- Another great side item is okra–again, like the potatoes, just cut them into pieces, then toss in the remaining cornmeal, then fry to that same golden brown hue. Gah! My mouth is watering!
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I tried this recipe tonight because it seemed simple and you made it sound amazing. I have been craving fish for weeks and was looking forward to it. I followed this recipe step by step. Took any pointers or suggestions and did them to make it “extra awesome” just to through away all the fish and order take out.
It had a terribly fishy taste too it with some grimy cornmeal. There was absolutely no flavor even with Cajun seasoning mixed into it.
I will have to go back to my drawing board for fried fish. I’ve found and perfected baking it but have yet to find a recipe for frying fish that isn’t difficult and tastes good. ☹
Hi Meagan! I didn’t write this recipe in particular, but I can definitely offer you some ideas!
First, one of the best ways to stop the fishy taste before you cook fish is to soak it in milk for at least an hour before you cook it. The acids in the milk remove some of the outer fish funk and you’re left with more of the inner good flavor.
Second, if cornmeal is too gritty for you, you can try a corn muffin mix instead. It’s a mixture of cornmeal and flour so the grit is cut WAY down.
For the flavor itself, try a seasoning like Zatarain’s but add in a little extra to bump up the flavor. Something else that helps is to drizzle lemon on the fried fish after it’s cooked. It tends to bring out those spices even more.
Lastly, instead of just the cornmeal and milk, try making a milk/egg bath. Same amount of milk, but also add in two eggs. That’ll help the mixture stick to the fish better, and should help a bit with the grit.
Let me know if any of this works for you!