Cajun blackened catfish
Blackening is not burning — the spice crust is meant to char, but the fish itself is cooked through in the buttery steam under the crust. The fillet needs to be dry so the rub sticks, and the pan needs to be hot so the spices toast rather than steam.
Cook it with Keto Tracker AI
See how it fits the carbs you have left today, log it in one tap when it’s on the plate, and send the ingredients to your shopping list. Free, with no account.
Ingredients
For the whole dish · serves 4
- Catfish fillet1¼ lb
- Butter2 oz
- Smoked paprika½ oz
- Garlic powder¼ oz
- Onion powder¼ oz
- Cayenne pepper¼ oz
- Dried thyme¼ oz
- Dried oregano¼ oz
- Sea saltto taste
- Black pepperto taste
- Lemon4 wedges
Served with
The side the app pairs with it. Tap Swap in the app for another that fits.
+5g net · 153 kcal · 25 min · together 6g net, 488 kcal
Method
5 steps · 20 minutes
- Pat the fillets very dry with paper towels — moisture is the enemy of a blackening crust.
- Mix the paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, thyme, oregano, salt and pepper. Press the rub onto both sides of each fillet until evenly coated.
- Heat a single-handle cast iron skillet over high heat for 3 minutes until it just starts to smoke. Add the butter and let it foam.
- Lay the fillets in the pan and cook for 2 minutes without moving them — the crust should be deeply browned, almost black. Flip and cook 90 seconds more.
- Lift onto plates and serve immediately with lemon wedges for squeezing over.
Macros are per serving and are estimates worked out from the ingredients. Keto Tracker AI is a food logging tool and does not give medical advice; talk to a doctor before changing your diet.
All 507 recipes, free in the app.
Every one measured against what you have left today, and logged in one tap.