Before I get started with this weeks delicious recipe I’ve got some big news, I gotta job! After a year and a half of pursuing my dream of being a BBQ Mogul, I’m returning to the corporate world. I’m going to be working for a health care company as a Sr. Financial Analyst. It’s going to be a real challenge balancing a career and building my BBQ empire but I’m looking forward to it. In other big news we’ve updated our blog. What do you think of the new format?
Blackened Catfish Recipe
This week’s recipe is hot off the Disc-It, it’s healthy, spicy, and delicious, it’s Blackened Catfish. As part of my goal to cook and eat more fish this year, I have been working on this recipe all summer and now it’s finally blog-worthy. I know cooking fish can be very intimidating, but trust me, this recipe is super simple and really tasty.
A great blackened fish starts with the seasoning, this one only takes 3 ingredients. Actually, the BBQ Rub has paprika and pepper in it, but to get the sweetness and the spice of traditional blackening seasonings it needs just a little more.
Seasoning the Catfish
- 3 Tablespoons of AlbuKirky Red Chile BBQ Rub
- 2 Tablespoons of Paprika
- 2 Tablespoons of Black Pepper
Mix all the spices together in a bowl. This recipe makes enough seasoning for 6 six filets.
I picked up these farm-raised catfish filets at my local Costco. These were some nice big filets, and since catfish is a healthy protein, you should eat a really big piece. I gave the filets a light coating of canola oil so the rub will stick to it, also it is a high-heat oil and will not burn on the intense heat of the Disc-It. Season both sides of the filet with a good coating of the rub, but be sure not to cake it on.\
Blackening the Catfish
To blacken the catfish I used my flat-top Disc-It griddle, if you don’t have a Disc-It you should go to the website right now and get one, or you can use a cast iron skillet on the cooking surface of your choice. First, I fired up the Disc-It and as the griddle warmed up I coated the surface with some canola oil. Then, I let the griddle continue to heat up and once the oil begins to smoke it’s time to start cooking the catfish.
Next, I laid the filets down on the Disc-It and just let them sizzle for about 2 minutes and then flipped them. I like to use a long really flat spatula to get between the fish and the pan and flip it in one whole piece. If the fish feels a little sticky let it cook a little more, when that crust is fully developed, it will release and flip easily.
I let the fish cook for about 2 minutes then flipped them and let them cook another 2-3 minutes, I repeated the cook and flip two more times. After 8 minutes of cooking, they should be about done, be sure to temp the filet in the thickest part, if it’s 130ºF it’s done.
Enjoy the Blackened Catfish Recipe
The catfish was absolutely fantastic. Catfish has a very nice mild flavor. The crust was crunchy with good heat from the red chile and the extra pepper. The paprika added just touch a of sweetness. This spicy fish is so good you will forget it’s actually a healthy meal. To accompany this spicy filet Mrs. made up a batch of homemade mac & cheese. The creamy cheese pasta was the perfect side for spicy catfish. This recipe has become one of my favorites. Give it a try and I’m sure it will be one of yours too.
