Jody's Garage - Recipes - Ron's Catfish Stew

RON’S LOW COUNTRY SOUTH CAROLINA
CATFISH STEW
Submitted by Ron Singleton

" I've been eating this stuff all my life and still can't get enough." - R. Singleton

INGREDIENTS:

½ pound bacon

6 large onions

3 pounds catfish fillets or catfish nuggets (cheaper)

one 20oz. bottle catsup

one small can tomato paste

one large can tomato sauce (plain)

one can condensed tomato soup

1 tsp. salt

black pepper to taste

red pepper to taste

Texas Pete Hot Sauce to taste

PROCEDURE:

Use a large (6-8 quart) pot. Sauté bacon until thoroughly limp. Add chopped onions and sauté on high heat until onions are just beginning to brown. Add cut up catfish fillets or nuggets and cook until opaque. Add all tomato products and stir. Add sufficient water to produce a mixture the consistency of a heavy soup. Add salt. Start with about one tablespoon each of black pepper, red pepper and Texas Pete. Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat and simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste and add more pepper to taste. Add more water if it’s getting too thick. Simmer about another 10 minutes and it should be ready.

Serve over plain rice with coleslaw, white bread and lots of iced tea. This dish is best with lots of pepper. Rule of thumb: “If you can take a large bite without sipping on your tea, it’s not hot enough”. This is a traditional South Carolina Low Country recipe. As far as I know this recipe is only used in about a six or eight county area. Other people make what they call catfish stew but they put in stuff like potatoes and corn. Catfish stew is best when cooked outdoors in a black cast iron washpot on the banks of the Little Pee Dee River while sipping Tennessee whiskey.