Rodney Scott's Fried Catfish Is Nothing Short of Crispy Perfection

Welcome to The Pioneer Woman Cookbook Club! This month we're featuring Rodney Scott, pitmaster, co-owner of Rodney Scott's Whole Hog BBQ, and author of his debut cookbook Rodney Scott's World of BBQ: Every Day Is a Good Day. Ahead, Rodney talks about where he finds inspiration, explains how he treats every day like summer, and shares a delicious fried catfish recipe.

If you’re lamenting the end of summer, warm weather, and backyard cookouts, listen up because legendary pitmaster Rodney Scott has something to say.

“I personally believe BBQ is perfect for every day, and when eating BBQ, every day can be summer,” he says.

He doubles down on that sentiment in his debut cookbook Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ, which is filled with mouth-watering recipes like Smoked Prime Rib and Pork and Grits. Each dish from the South Carolina native will help you make any day of the year feel like summertime—no pit required!

While the James Beard Award winning-chef is known for whole hog barbecue, he says it was important to him that his readers could find easy, everyday meals in his book as well. As a result, he's included barbecue dishes that can be made using a stove top or outdoor grill.

Still, as the co-owner of Rodney Scott’s Whole Hog BBQ—which now has three locations across the South—he still wanted to offer tips to those who do want to dabble in the art of the whole hog. That's why there's an entire section of the cookbook dedicated to the process, where you can find steps for building a cinder block pit and a burn barrel, how to start the fire (as well as what wood to use), and, of course, how to cook the hog.

“So many talented pitmasters and cooks before me provided me with inspiration [for this book], and they still do. We all stand on the shoulders of others, and I think that's an important thing for folks to acknowledge,” he says.

The rest of the chapters feature over 50 recipes that anyone can make, including smoked meats; classic sides like macaroni and cheese, potato salad, and street corn; and a handful of desserts. There’s a great deal of care and intention behind each page, with many of the dishes taken from his restaurant or inspired by his family.

“I really wanted to share my own full experience of how I was introduced to each recipe and how and why it was a memorable part of my life,” he says. “Songs may provide a soundtrack to our lives, but food also triggers a powerful sense memory, and I wanted to create a record of my own, so to speak, through food.”

Among the many memorable recipes Rodney recreates is his grandmother’s fried catfish. He tells us that it brings him back to his childhood on Friday nights when she would fry fish and serve it with grits or white bread.

“It was amazing, and if this recipe comes even close to what she would make then I’ll call it a success,” he says.

Ahead, we’ve included Rodney’s recipe, so you can try your hand at it! While you can mimic the way his grandmother served it, Rodney also suggests frying up hush puppies as a side.

“Hush puppies and catfish are a great marriage. They pair so well together: the flavors, the textures and crispy edges…just perfect.”

So just because summer has come to a close, you can still keep all the delicious food coming with this recipe, as well as a host of other barbecue staples found in his must-have cookbook.