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Cajun Catfish Po’ Boys

Crisp cornmeal catfish, cool crunchy vegetables, and tangy remoulade make these New Orleans-style sandwiches a satisfying weeknight meal.

A golden catfish po’ boy with lettuce, tomato, pickles, remoulade, and a green salad.

These po’ boys balance hot, crisp catfish with cool lettuce, ripe tomato, and dill pickles. A quick remoulade brings mustard, capers, lemon, and a little adjustable heat to each toasted roll.

A short buttermilk soak helps the coating cling, while a steady 350 F oil temperature gives the fillets time to crisp before their centers overcook.

A sharp, creamy counterpoint

The remoulade can be stirred together while the fish rests in its buttermilk soak. Pickles and capers give it briny bite, and lemon keeps the mayonnaise from feeling heavy.

Let the coating adhere

After the buttermilk soak, lift each fillet and let the excess drip away before pressing it into the cornmeal mixture. A thin, even layer fries crisp without forming a thick, pasty shell.

Catfish fillets receive an even cornmeal coating beside a skillet prepared for frying. — Catfish fillets are pressed into the seasoned cornmeal coating just before frying.

Watch the oil temperature

A thermometer makes shallow-frying more predictable. If the oil drops much below 350 F, the coating can absorb oil; if it climbs too high, the crust may darken before the catfish reaches 145 F.

Fry in manageable batches

Crowding cools the oil and traps steam around the fish. Fry only as many fillets as fit with space between them, then let the oil return to temperature before the next batch.

A cut po’ boy reveals flaky catfish inside its crisp cornmeal crust with remoulade and vegetables. — A close view highlights the flaky catfish center beneath its crisp cornmeal crust.

Assemble at the table

Butter-toasting the rolls gives the soft bread a little structure without making it hard. Spread sauce on both sides, then add lettuce, tomato, pickles, and hot fish right before serving.

Cajun Catfish Po’ Boys

4 sandwiches

60 minutes total

Ingredients

• 4 skinless catfish fillets, about 6 oz each
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 tbsp Louisiana-style hot sauce, divided
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp Cajun seasoning
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 2 cups neutral oil, for shallow frying
• 4 French rolls
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp Creole mustard
• 2 tbsp finely chopped dill pickles
• 1 tbsp capers, rinsed and chopped
• 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice, divided
• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups finely shredded iceberg lettuce
• 1 medium ripe tomato, thinly sliced
• 8 dill pickle chips
• 4 oz tender mixed salad greens
• 1/2 English cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil

Method

Prepare the vegetables
Shred the lettuce, slice the tomato and cucumber, and set the salad greens in a serving bowl; keep the po’ boy vegetables dry and chilled until assembly.
Look for: The lettuce and sliced vegetables are cold and dry, ready to stay crisp in the rolls.
Mix the remoulade
Stir the mayonnaise, Creole mustard, chopped dill pickles, capers, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1 tbsp hot sauce, and parsley until combined, then refrigerate while you prepare the fish.
Look for: The sauce is creamy with evenly distributed pickle, caper, and parsley pieces.
Season the salad
Toss the mixed greens and cucumber with the olive oil, remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice, and a pinch of the kosher salt until lightly coated; leave the tomato and lettuce undressed for the sandwiches.
Look for: The leaves are lightly glossy but no dressing pools at the bottom of the bowl.
Soak the catfish
Whisk the buttermilk with 1 tbsp hot sauce in a shallow dish, add the catfish, and turn to coat; let it stand for 15 minutes while you mix the cornmeal coating.
Look for: Every fillet has a thin buttermilk coating and the cayenne-free soak smells gently peppery.
Mix the coating
Combine the cornmeal, flour, Cajun seasoning, smoked paprika, garlic powder, thyme, cayenne, remaining kosher salt, and black pepper in a wide shallow dish, breaking up any seasoning clumps.
Look for: The coating is evenly colored and no pockets of paprika or flour remain.
Heat the frying oil
Pour the neutral oil into a heavy 12-inch skillet to a depth of about 1/2 inch and heat over medium to 350 F, checking with a thermometer before frying.
Look for: The oil shimmers and a pinch of coating sizzles steadily without darkening immediately.
Fry the catfish
Lift each fillet from the buttermilk, let excess drip off, and press both sides into the cornmeal mixture. Fry in uncrowded batches for 3 to 4 minutes per side, until deeply golden and the thickest part reaches 145 F; drain on a wire rack.
Look for: The crust is crisp and golden, and the thickest catfish fillet reaches 145 F on an instant-read thermometer.
Toast the rolls
Split the French rolls lengthwise without cutting all the way through, spread the cut sides with softened butter, and toast cut-side down in a clean skillet until lightly golden.
Look for: The cut sides are lightly crisp while the rolls remain soft enough to fold around the filling.
Assemble and serve
Spread remoulade on both cut sides of each roll, add shredded lettuce, tomato, pickle chips, and a catfish fillet, then serve immediately with the dressed greens alongside.
Look for: The warm fish sits inside the roll without crushing the crisp vegetables, and the salad is lightly dressed.