Friday Nights and Smoking Skillets: Blackened Catfish with Creamed Butter Beans
Growing up in Atlanta, Friday nights meant my grandmother's kitchen was thick with the smell of fish frying. It was a rite of passage to stand by the stove, watching those crusts turn golden. But when I got to Charleston and started cooking on the line, I fell in love with the fierce, smoky heat of a proper blackening spice in a screaming-hot cast-iron skillet. This Cast-Iron Blackened Catfish with Creamed Butter Beans and Green Tomato Relish is my love letter to those Friday nights, elevated for a proper Sunday dinner. I balance that intense, fiery crust with deeply comforting, slow-simmered butter beans, which my grandmother used to cook low and slow until they were practically silk. Then, I add a bright pop of quick-pickled green tomato relish to cut through all that rich comfort. What makes this recipe so special to me is how it bridges my past and my present; it is pure soul food, evolved. To make it your own, do not be afraid to play with the relish. Toss in some minced jalapeño for extra heat or a splash of cane syrup if you like it sweet. Just make sure that cast iron is smoking hot before the fish hits the pan!
Featured Recipe
Cast-Iron Blackened Catfish with Creamed Butter Beans & Green Tomato Relish
Blackening fish in a smoking-hot cast-iron skillet is a Southern rite of passage. Here, I balance that intense, fiery crust with deeply comforting, slow-simmered butter beans and a bright pop of quick-pickled green tomato relish. It is my homage to the Friday fish fries of my childhood, elevated for a proper Sunday dinner.
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Ingredients
- 4 (6-oz) catfish fillets(patted completely dry)
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted(for coating the fish)
- 1 tbsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp dried oregano
- 1 tsp kosher salt(plus an extra pinch for the relish)
- 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter(for the beans)
- 1 medium shallot(minced)
- 2 cloves garlic(smashed)
- 1 lb frozen or fresh butter beans(lima beans work well too)
- 1 cup chicken bone broth
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 1 large green tomato(finely diced)
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1 tbsp honey
- 1 small jalapeno(seeded and minced)
- 1 tbsp neutral oil(grapeseed or canola)
- 1 pinch kosher salt(for the pickle)
Instructions
- 1
In a small bowl, toss together 1 large green tomato, finely diced, 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar, 1 tbsp honey, 1 small jalapeno, seeded and minced, and 1 pinch kosher salt. Set this aside to quickly pickle while you build the rest of the dish. This acid is going to cut right through the richness later.
5 min
Tip: Make this up to two days in advance for deeper flavor.
- 2
Place a medium saucepan over medium heat and melt 2 tbsp unsalted butter. Toss in 1 medium shallot, minced and 2 cloves garlic, smashed. Sweat these aromatics down until they are soft and fragrant, which takes just a few minutes.
3 min
Tip: Do not let the garlic brown, we just want a sweet base flavor.
- 3
Pour 1 lb frozen or fresh butter beans, 1 cup chicken bone broth, and 1/2 cup heavy cream into the saucepan with the aromatics. Drop in 1 sprig fresh thyme. Bring the liquid to a gentle bubble, then turn the heat down to low and let it simmer away until the beans are tender and the liquid has reduced to a creamy sauce.
15 min
Tip: If the sauce gets too thick before the beans are tender, add a splash of water or more broth.
- 4
While those beans are doing their thing, grab a small dish and mix your blackening rub: 1 tbsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp cayenne pepper, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp dried thyme, 1 tsp dried oregano, 1 tsp kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Brush your 4 (6-oz) catfish fillets all over with 2 tbsp unsalted butter, melted, then aggressively coat both sides of the fish with your spice mixture.
4 min
Tip: Do not be shy with the rub. It forms the crust that makes blackened fish legendary.
- 5
Place your heaviest cast-iron skillet over high heat. Add 1 tbsp neutral oil and let that pan heat up until you see wisps of white smoke dancing off the surface. Turn on your exhaust fan—this is where the magic happens.
4 min
Tip: A properly heated skillet is non-negotiable here; it prevents sticking and builds the crust.
- 6
Carefully lay the spiced catfish into the smoking hot skillet. Let it sear entirely undisturbed for a solid three minutes until a dark, charred crust forms. Flip the fillets and give them another three minutes on the second side until they are cooked through and flaky.
6 min
Tip: If the pan gets dangerously smoky, drop the heat to medium-high, but keep it hot enough to sear.
- 7
Remove the thyme sprig from your creamy butter beans. Ladle a generous spoonful of the beans into the bottom of a shallow bowl. Lay a blackened catfish fillet right on top, then crown the fish with a spoonful of that bright, acidic green tomato relish. Serve it up hot.
2 min
Tip: Ensure you get some of the pickling liquid from the relish over the fish for extra zing.
Chef's Notes
Growing up, blackening was a technique reserved for the brave—it requires a screaming hot skillet and good ventilation. But that crust? It is pure Southern magic. I pair it with creamed butter beans to soothe the palate. The green tomato relish is my nod to grandmother's preserving cellar; it cuts through the richness beautifully.
Marcus Stone
Heritage recipes with a chef's touch
My grandmother's kitchen in Atlanta is where I learned that food carries history. Every pot of collards, every batch of biscuits, every Sunday roast told stories of resilience, family, and love. I went on to train at the finest restaurants in Charleston and worked my way up through white-tablecloth kitchens. But I always came back to those family recipes—now I cook them with a chef's technique but a grandmother's heart. Because the best food honors where it came from.