A Midday Feast: Lowcountry Catfish Stew and Memories of the Coast
I can still smell the salt air of Charleston when I close my eyes and think about this Lowcountry Catfish Stew. During my time training in the Lowcountry, an old fisherman named Isaiah shared a bowl of river catfish stew with me on a damp, foggy afternoon. It was rustic, deeply comforting, and packed with the holy trinity and smoky bacon. When I got back to my kitchen, I knew I wanted to elevate that memory without losing its soul. That is how this Slow-Simmered Lowcountry Catfish Stew with Smoked Bacon, Charred Okra, and Toasted Benne Rice was born. I gently poach flaky catfish in a rich tomato gravy, layering in that unmistakable smokiness and serving it over fragrant Carolina Gold rice showered with nutty, toasted benne seeds. The charred okra adds a wonderful smoky depth and texture that cuts right through the richness of the stew. This dish is special to me because it honors the incredible culinary traditions that shaped modern Southern cooking. If you want to make it your own, do not be shy with a dash of hot pepper vinegar right before serving. Every bite carries history, and I am honored to share it with your table.
Featured Recipe
Slow-Simmered Lowcountry Catfish Stew with Smoked Bacon, Charred Okra & Toasted Benne Rice
A deeply aromatic, slow-simmered Southern soul food lunch featuring tender, flaky catfish gently poached in a rich tomato, smoky bacon, and holy trinity gravy. Served alongside fragrant Carolina Gold rice showered with nutty toasted benne seeds, this dish turns simple river fish into an unforgettable midday feast.
Save a copy to your collection for editing
Timeline
Ingredients
- 1.5 lbs thick catfish fillets(cut into 2-inch chunks)
- 4 slices thick-cut smoked slab bacon(diced into 1/2-inch lardons)
- 1 medium yellow onion(finely diced)
- 1 medium green bell pepper(stemmed, seeded, and finely diced)
- 2 celery ribs(finely diced)
- 4 garlic cloves(minced)
- 8 oz fresh okra(sliced into 1/2-inch rounds)
- 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp tomato paste
- 14 oz whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes(crushed by hand with juices)
- 2.5 cups seafood stock(or low-sodium chicken broth)
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs(tied with butcher's twine)
- 2 dried bay leaves
- 1 tsp fish sauce(chef's umami secret)
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper(adjust to taste)
- 1.5 tsp kosher salt(divided)
- 0.75 tsp freshly cracked black pepper(divided)
- 1 cup Carolina Gold rice(rinsed until water runs clear)
- 1.75 cups water(for cooking rice)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 tbsp benne seeds(or heirloom sesame seeds, toasted)
- 3 stalks scallions(thinly sliced on a bias for garnish)
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt(Used in step 2)
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt(Used in step 7)
- 0.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper(Used in step 7)
- 0.5 tsp kosher salt(Used in step 8)
- 0.25 tsp freshly cracked black pepper(Used in step 8)
Instructions
- 1
Place a heavy Dutch oven or enameled cast-iron pot over medium heat. Add 4 slices thick-cut smoked slab bacon and cook slowly, stirring occasionally, until crisp and golden brown, about 7 minutes. Transfer the crispy bacon with a slotted spoon to a paper towel-lined plate, reserving 2 tablespoons of rendered drippings in the pot.
8 min
Tip: Render the fat gently without scorching; those smoky pork drippings are the foundation of your gravy.
- 2
While the bacon renders, start the rice. In a medium saucepan, combine 1 cup Carolina Gold rice, 1.75 cups water, 1 tbsp unsalted butter, and 0.5 tsp kosher salt. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer gently undisturbed for 15 minutes.
17 min
Tip: Resist the urge to lift the lid while the rice steams so you don't release precious moisture.
- 3
Increase heat under the Dutch oven to medium-high. Add 8 oz fresh okra to the hot bacon fat and sear undisturbed for 3 minutes until lightly charred and no longer sticky. Remove the okra to a small bowl and set aside.
4 min
Tip: Quick high-heat searing cooks out the mucilage from fresh okra and adds a gorgeous roasty note.
- 4
Reduce heat to medium. Add 1 medium yellow onion, 1 medium green bell pepper, and 2 celery ribs to the pot. Sauté for 6 minutes until soft and translucent. Stir in 4 minced garlic cloves, 1 tsp smoked paprika, and 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper, cooking for 1 minute until fragrant.
7 min
Tip: Sweating the Holy Trinity slowly builds the backbone of Lowcountry stews.
- 5
Sprinkle 2 tbsp all-purpose flour over the vegetables and stir continuously for 2 minutes to cook out raw flour flavor. Stir in 2 tbsp tomato paste and cook for another 1 minute until brick-red and caramelized on the bottom of the pot.
3 min
Tip: Toasting tomato paste develops deeper natural sugars and eliminates harsh acidity.
- 6
Remove rice saucepan from heat, leave covered, and allow it to steam for 10 minutes. Afterward, fluff with a fork and fold in 2 tbsp benne seeds. Keep warm.
12 min
Tip: Resting off the heat finishes Carolina Gold rice to fluffy, separate grains.
- 7
Slowly pour 2.5 cups seafood stock into the Dutch oven, scraping up all browned bits from the bottom. Stir in 14 oz whole peeled San Marzano tomatoes, 4 fresh thyme sprigs, 2 dried bay leaves, 1 tsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, 0.5 tsp kosher salt, and 0.5 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low, partially cover, and slow-simmer gently for 20 minutes to meld and thicken.
22 min
Tip: That splash of fish sauce adds antique coastal depth without tasting fishy—it replaces the funk of old-school dried shrimp.
- 8
Season 1.5 lbs thick catfish fillets with the remaining 0.5 tsp kosher salt and 0.25 tsp freshly cracked black pepper. Gently nestle the catfish chunks and the reserved seared okra into the slow-simmering gravy. Submerge them gently with a spoon.
3 min
Tip: Catfish fillets should be cut thick so they hold together as they gently braise in the simmering broth.
- 9
Cover the Dutch oven and slow-simmer on low heat for 8 to 10 minutes, without stirring aggressively, until the catfish is tender, completely cooked through, and flakes easily with a fork.
9 min
Tip: Avoid vigorous boiling or stirring, which will break up the delicate catfish pieces.
- 10
Discard the thyme sprigs and bay leaves. Spoon generous mounds of warm toasted benne rice into shallow bowls. Ladle the rich catfish stew and charred okra over the rice, then scatter the reserved crispy bacon and 3 stalks scallions on top. Serve hot.
4 min
Tip: Assemble immediately before eating so the crispy lardons maintain their crunch against the velvety gravy.
Chef's Notes
Growing up, Sunday lunch catfish was often fried, but on quiet autumn Saturdays, my elders would slow-simmer riverside catfish in a cast-iron kettle with tomatoes, sweet onions, and smoky bacon until it melted into pure silk. In this recipe, I pay homage to that coastal Lowcountry tradition by building a rich, roux-thickened tomato gravy sparked with a dash of fish sauce—a chef's trick that echoes the fermented flavors of old Atlantic salt pantries—and pairing it with heirloom benne seed rice.
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.