Sous Vide Catfish
If you’re looking for the best way to cook catfish, try Sous Vide Catfish! This method cooks delicate catfish in a temperature-controlled water bath to ensure a perfectly cooked piece of fish is ready for finishing or eating as-is!
Catfish is a fish known for its delicate flavor and flaky texture. It’s typically found in Cajun and Creole cuisine and is often served fried or with a light sauce or gravy.
While you can cook catfish in many ways, sous vide is one of the best methods for ensuring a perfectly cooked piece of fish!
✅Why Sous Vide Method Is The Best Way To Cook Catfish
- Sous vide is a method of cooking food in which the food is sealed in a bag and cooked in a water bath at a consistent temperature. This cooking method allows the catfish to retain its moisture and flavor while also ensuring that it is cooked evenly throughout.
- Catfish cooked using the sous vide method is incredibly moist and flavorful and has a texture that is unlike any other type of cooked fish. This cooking method also allows you to cook fish to your exact liking, whether you prefer it rare, medium, or well done.
- In addition to being cooked perfectly every time, sous vide catfish is also extremely versatile. It can be served with various sauces and sides, making it a perfect dish for any occasion.
🐟Key Ingredients & Helpful Tools
- Catfish – You’ll need 1-2 pounds of fresh or frozen catfish fillets for this recipe. You can find it at your local grocery store or fish market.
- Immersion Circulator – The best immersion circulator by Anova is top-of-the-line quality and has a great app that connects with your phone. You can also use a budget-friendly brand such as the SAKI or InkBird.
- Vacuum Sealer – Use any basic vacuum sealer with your sous vide. You can also use these sous vide bags with hand pump for about $15.
- Vacuum Sealer Bags – Purchase a set of different sizes for ease and variety.
- Large Pot or Sous Vide Container – If you’re cooking a lot with the sous vide, it’s helpful to have a container that’s perfectly sized to hold the immersion circulator and the food it’s cooking. Otherwise, you can use a large pot or heat-safe container.
- Sous Vide Clips or Sous Vide Weights – These accessories are made to keep the food submerged in the water while it cooks to ensure it cooks evenly. You can purchase these or use a heavy kitchen utensil and binder clips.
Check out The Best Sous Vide Accessories for a perfect cooking experience!
💦Water Displacement Method
Don’t have a vacuum sealer? The water displacement method works by using the principle of Archimedes, which states that a body submerged in water is buoyed up by force equal to the weight of the water displaced by the body.
This means that the heat of the surrounding water cooks the food in the sealed bag without coming into direct contact with the water. This cooking method is often used for delicate foods such as fish, eggs, and vegetables. You can use the water displacement method to properly secure your fish for sous vide using the following steps:
- Place your food in a Ziploc freezer bag, making sure to get as much air as possible.
- Seal the bag most of the way, leaving a small opening at the end to let air escape.
- Submerge in the water letting the air come up to the top using the pressure of the water.
- Once the bag is submerged up to the seal, close it fully before fully submerging into the water.
💧How To Sous Vide Catfish
1️⃣Heat the water bath: Choose your desired temperature using the table below and fill your pot or sous vide container with water. Add the immersion circulator and set the correct temperature.
2️⃣Prepare the catfish: Pat the fish dry completely, then add desired dried seasonings and/or butter. Place the fish in a vacuum-sealed bag in a single layer or use the water displacement method to remove the air.
3️⃣Sous vide the catfish: Once the water has come up to temperature, submerge the fish into the water bath and use weights or clips to keep it down. Cook for 30-45 minutes, depending on the size or if it’s frozen.
4️⃣Finish and serve: Once it’s finished cooking, remove it from the water bath with tongs and carefully open it. Pat dry with paper towels, then use any of the finishing methods below. Adjust seasonings and enjoy!
⏲️Best Time and Temperature To Cook Catfish
What temperature do you sous vide catfish and for how long? Generally, you can expect your catfish to be cooked in about 30-45 minutes at a temperature ranging from 120F – 130F for the best flavor and texture.
- Rare: 120F for 30 minutes – This will produce slightly translucent fish in the center and have a more raw taste.
- Medium: 125F for 30 minutes – This is the perfect temperature to cook your fish if you’re looking for something with a slightly firm medium texture while still being moist and tender. This is the temperature you want to aim for if you plan to finish or bash the top.
- Well Done: 130F for 30 minutes – This will give you fish cooked all the way through and has a slightly firmer flaky texture but is still moist and delicious. Use this temperature if you are planning to eat the fish without finishing to avoid overcooking.
🔥Finishing
There are 4 ways to finish your catfish after it has been cooked sous vide. Keep in mind that catfish can be extremely delicate after cooking with all of its moisture, so handle your fish carefully to prevent it from breaking.
- Skillet – This is the best way to finish sous vide catfish. Simply heat up a skillet on medium-high heat with some oil. Sear each side of the fish for about 1 minute or until it becomes slightly browned and crispy. Remove from the pan and serve immediately.
- Broiling – Preheat your oven to the highest setting to broil sous vide catfish. Place your fish on a lightly oiled baking sheet and place it in the oven. Broil for 1-2 minutes or until the top becomes slightly browned and crispy. Remove from the heat and serve immediately.
- Grilling – Preheat your grill to medium-high heat and oil the grates. Grill your fish for 1-2 minutes per side or until it becomes slightly browned and crispy. Remove from the grill and serve immediately.
- Air Fryer – Preheat your air fryer to 400F. Place your catfish in the air fryer and cook for 3-5 minutes or until it becomes slightly browned and crispy. Remove from the air fryer with a spatula and serve immediately.
👩🏻🍳Chef’s Tips
- Catfish is often very delicate and is even more delicate when cooked in its own juices. Ensure you are carefully removing and finishing the fish to keep it from breaking.
- Because the catfish gets cooked in its own moisture, the seasoning will go a long way! Start with less than you think you need to and add more when finishing.
- If you’re not enjoying your fish immediately, remove it from the sous vide and place it in an ice bath for 10 minutes. Then, store in the fridge for up to 2 days before finishing and serving.
- If you’re using frozen catfish fillets, add 15 minutes more of cooking time to ensure it’s thawed properly. You may only need to add 5 minutes for thinner cuts of fish.
🧂Seasoning Ideas
Catfish is one of the most versatile foods because it can take on the flavor of anything you pair it with. Try these serving suggestions and seasoning ideas!
- Lemon pepper
- Old Bay seasoning
- Cajun seasoning
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Salt and pepper
- Hot sauce
- Barbecue sauce
- Tartar sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Chinese five spice powder
- Curry powder
- Thai red curry paste
🦞More Sous Vide Seafood Recipes
- Sous Vide Lobster Tail
- Sous Vide Tilapia
- Sous Vide Snapper
- Sous Vide Shrimp
- Sous Vide Mahi Mahi
- Sous Vide Flounder
- Sous Vide Trout
Sous Vide Catfish
Equipment
- Sous Vide Container or large pot
- Sous Vide Weights or heavy kitchen utensil
- Vaccuum Sealer
- Vacuum Sealer & Bags or freezer safe bags for Water Displacement Method
Ingredients
- 1 pound Catfish filets
- ½ tsp Salt
- ¼ tsp Black Pepper
Instructions
- Choose your desired temperature using the table below and fill your pot or sous vide container with water. Add the immersion circulator and set the correct temperature.
- Pat the catfish dry completely, then add desired dried seasonings and/or butter. Place the fish in a vacuum-sealed bag in a single layer or use the water displacement method to remove the air.
- Once the water has come up to temperature, submerge the catfish into the water bath and use weights or clips to keep it down. Cook for 30-45 minutes depending on the size or if it's frozen.
- Once it’s finished cooking, remove it from the water bath with tongs and carefully open it. Pat dry with paper towels, then use any of the finishing methods below. Adjust seasonings and enjoy!
Notes
⏲️Best Time and Temperature To Cook Catfish
What temperature do you sous vide catfish and for how long? Generally, you can expect your catfish to be cooked in about 30-45 minutes at a temperature ranging from 120F – 130F for the best flavor and texture.- Rare: 120F for 30 minutes – This will produce slightly translucent fish in the center and have a more raw taste.
- Medium: 125F for 30 minutes – This is the perfect temperature to cook your fish if you’re looking for something with a slightly firm medium texture while still being moist and tender. This is the temperature you want to aim for if you plan to finish or bash the top.
- Well Done: 130F for 30 minutes – This will give you fish cooked all the way through and has a slightly firmer flaky texture but is still moist and delicious. Use this temperature if you are planning to eat the fish without finishing to avoid overcooking.
