Fish of the Month Feature: Catfish
- Evans Fish & Chips
- Jul 3
- 3 min read
This month at Evans, we are taking a closer look at Catfish.
Catfish often carries a reputation that does not match its culinary quality. In some places, it is labeled as a “bottom feeder,” a description that has historically been applied to a wide range of seafood species without much distinction. That perception comes from older associations with how Catfish live in the wild, rather than how the fish performs when properly sourced and prepared.
Like Lobster, which was once considered a low-status food in parts of North America and Europe, Catfish sits in a long pattern of seafood whose reputation has shifted significantly depending on culture, time, and familiarity.
Catfish (Siluriformes species)
Catfish is not a single fish but a large group of related species found across North America, South America, Africa, and Asia. While many people associate Catfish with North American rivers, the group includes a wide range of species used in food systems around the world. Within that group are many different species with different textures, environments, and culinary traditions. Channel Catfish is one of the most widely farmed and consumed species in North America.
Another example is Basa, a Southeast Asian Catfish native to the Mekong and Chao Phraya river systems. Basa belongs to the Pangasiidae family and is closely related to Swai, another fish commonly found in international seafood markets. Because it is often sold under names like Basa, Swai, River Cobbler, Pangasius, or Tra rather than simply “Catfish,” many people may already be familiar with it without realizing it belongs to the same broader group.
Basa became widely used because of its mild flavor, versatility, and consistency in cooking. Its white flesh and neutral profile allow it to work across many preparations and take on batter, seasoning, and sauces without overpowering the dish.
What connects Catfish species is not a single environment, but a shared set of traits, including barbels used for sensing food in low-visibility waters and a resilience that allows them to adapt to a wide range of freshwater systems.
Fun Fact
Catfish are basically swimming taste buds. They don't just taste with their mouths; they have hundreds of thousands of taste buds covering their bodies, especially on their whisker-like barbels. This helps them find food in dark, cloudy water by tasting as they move.
In the Kitchen
Catfish occupies a different place in the kitchen depending on region, often shaped more by tradition and familiarity than by ingredient quality itself.
In the southern United States, Catfish has long been a staple of fried fish cookery, most often breaded or battered and served in a simple style that emphasizes texture and crispness.
In West Africa, particularly Nigeria and Ghana, Catfish is commonly grilled over an open flame or used in pepper soups and stews. In these preparations, it is valued for its ability to hold structure in heavily seasoned broths while absorbing smoke, spice, and heat.
In Southeast Asia, including Vietnam, Thailand, and Cambodia, farmed Catfish is widely used in frying, curries, and clay pot dishes. In the Mekong Delta region of Vietnam, it is a major aquaculture species and is often prepared in ways that allow sauces and aromatics to build around its texture.
Across these regions, Catfish appears in widely different cooking traditions, but is consistently valued for its reliability in heat and seasoning.
Final Note
The Catfish is a reminder that reputation and culinary value are not always aligned. While it is often misunderstood through outdated labels, it remains one of the most widely farmed and consumed freshwater fish in the world.
Across West Africa, Southeast Asia, and the southern United States, it appears in widely different cooking traditions, but is consistently valued for its ability to handle bold seasoning and straightforward cooking methods.
When removed from outdated associations and prepared simply, it sits comfortably alongside other widely used fish in fried preparations: steady, adaptable, and defined more by how it is cooked than by how it has been labeled.
Sources / For More Information
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/channel-catfish Information on Channel Catfish biology and aquaculture in the United States.
https://www.fao.org/fishery/en Global fisheries database covering Catfish species across Africa and Asia.
https://www.seafoodwatch.org Sustainability guidance for farmed Catfish and freshwater aquaculture.
https://www.britannica.com/animal/catfish Overview of Catfish diversity, distribution, and biology.
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