Alright, let’s talk about making them air fryer catfish nuggets, yeah? I ain’t no fancy chef or nothin’, but I can sure make some tasty food. This here recipe is simple enough for even my old bones to manage.
First off, you gotta get yourself some catfish. Now, some folks say you gotta soak that fish in milk. Says it takes away that muddy taste, you know? If you got that wild-caught stuff, maybe you should. Pour a couple cups of milk over them little fish pieces for about 10 minutes, then dump the milk out. But if you got them farm-raised ones, don’t bother. They’re fine just the way they are. You know them little fish pieces, they call ’em nuggets? They’re too small to be big ol’ fillets, but too good to throw away. That’s why they’re cheap, good for us thrifty folks.
Now, why are we using that air fryer thingy? Well, it makes them nuggets crispy, just like they was fried in a big pot of oil, but without all that greasy mess. I ain’t got time for cleaning up no greasy mess, no sir. And get this, soaking them fish pieces in buttermilk makes ’em tender and adds a little somethin’ somethin’ to the taste. Who knew, right? I sure didn’t till my granddaughter showed me. Kids these days, they know all sorts of fancy tricks.
Okay, so you got your fish ready, now what? Time to get that crispy coating on there. Get yourself a shallow dish, not too deep now, and mix up some flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Yeah, just like that. Don’t be shy with the spices, now. We like flavor around here. And in another dish, we’ll put some buttermilk to dunk those catfish pieces in. That’s the ticket for a good coating.
- First, heat up that air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. That’s hot, so be careful.
- Second, dunk them catfish nuggets in the buttermilk, make sure they’re all coated nice and good.
- Third, roll them buttermilk-covered nuggets in that flour and spice mix. Pat it on good, make sure it sticks.
Now, lay them coated nuggets in the air fryer basket, but don’t overcrowd them, give them space to breathe so they get all crispy. Let ‘em cook for about 10-12 minutes, then flip ‘em over and cook for another 5-7 minutes. You want them golden brown and crispy, you hear? Every air fryer is a bit different, so keep an eye on them so they don’t burn. You’ll know they’re done when they’re crispy and the fish inside is cooked through.
And that’s it! See? I told you it was easy. Now you got yourself some crispy, tasty air fryer catfish nuggets. They’re good for a snack, or you can make a whole meal out of ‘em. Serve ‘em up with some coleslaw and maybe some hushpuppies, and you got yourself a feast fit for a king, or at least for my grandkids. They sure do love these things.
One more thing, you can play around with the spices if you want. If you like things spicy, add a little cayenne pepper. If you like things herby, throw in some dried thyme or rosemary. It’s your kitchen, you do what you want. Just make sure you have fun with it, that’s what cooking’s all about.
Now, I’m gonna go sit down and enjoy these here nuggets. You go on and make some yourself, you won’t be disappointed. And don’t forget to clean up after yourself, a clean kitchen is a happy kitchen, or so they say. I ain’t always the best at that part, but I try.
Tags: air fryer, catfish, nuggets, recipe, crispy, easy, southern cooking, seafood, weeknight meal, quick dinner