Bolton's hot fish
Photo: Southern Foodways Alliance · CC BY 2.0

History

Bolton Matthews opened Bolton's Spicy Chicken and Fish on Main Street in East Nashville in 1997 with his wife Dolly, using the family hot-chicken recipe of his late uncle Bolton Polk (who had cooked at Prince's). The hot fish is Dolly's branch innovation: the same cayenne-and-lard slick from the hot chicken poured over cornmeal-fried whiting or catfish, stacked on white bread with pickles and queued out the door at lunchtime.

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Common allergens: Fish, Gluten

Make it at home

Yield 4Hands-on 35 minTotal 3 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 4 whiting or catfish fillets, about 180g each
  • 500ml buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons hot sauce
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (for the marinade)
  • 300g fine yellow cornmeal
  • 100g plain flour
  • 1 tablespoon kosher salt (for the dredge)
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 litre neutral oil for frying
  • For the hot slick: 200g pork lard (or beef tallow), 4 tablespoons cayenne pepper, 2 tablespoons mild paprika, 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, 1 teaspoon chili powder, half teaspoon salt
  • 8 slices soft white bread
  • Dill pickle slices, to serve
  • Hot sauce, to serve

Method

  1. Whisk buttermilk, hot sauce and salt in a wide dish. Submerge the fillets and refrigerate 2 hours.
  2. Whisk cornmeal, flour, salt, pepper, onion and garlic powder for the dredge.
  3. Heat the oil to 180C in a heavy deep pan or cast-iron skillet.
  4. Lift each fillet from the buttermilk, letting excess drip back, then dredge in the cornmeal mix; press well to coat all over.
  5. Fry the fillets 4 to 5 minutes a side until the crust is deep mahogany and the fish flakes easily with a fork. Lift onto a rack over a tray.
  6. Make the slick while the fish drains: melt the lard in a small pan over low heat. Whisk in cayenne, paprika, brown sugar, garlic powder, chili powder and salt. Heat 1 minute until just bubbling; do not boil.
  7. Brush or ladle the hot slick generously over each fillet. The crust should look orange-red and slightly wet.
  8. Stack each fillet between two slices of soft white bread with pickle slices. Eat immediately.

Tip from the editors. The slick must go on the fish while the crust is still hot and crisp; pour it over cold fish and the cornmeal turns to paste. Wear gloves; the cayenne sears bare hands.

Where to eat bolton's hot fish

Bolton's hot fish in Nashville

Bolton's Spicy Chicken and Fish ★ 4.6

$$ Hot chickenEast Nashville

Bolton Polk's Main Street hot chicken shop in East Nashville cuts a smaller, darker-fried hot chicken than Hattie B's at half the price. At 624 Main St.

Why locals goThe original family-run Main Street counter is darker-fried and cheaper than Hattie B's, and most tourists never walk to East Nashville for hot chicken.

TipClosed Sundays and Mondays. Tiny counter; takeaway is the move.

Directions

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