Catfish stew is a dish commonly found in the Southern United States, particularly in South Carolina

South Carolina

South Carolina is a state in the Deep South of the United States that borders Georgia to the south, North Carolina to the north, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence...

. It typically consists of catfish

Catfish

Catfishes are a diverse group of ray-finned fish. Named for their prominent barbels, which resemble a cat's whiskers, catfish range in size and behavior from the heaviest and longest, the Mekong giant catfish from Southeast Asia and the second longest, the wels catfish of Eurasia, to detritivores...

fillets (taken from the sides of the fish as the belly meat is considered to be of poor quality) which are heavily boiled so that they fall apart, and is then combined with crushed tomatoes, potatoes, and onions. Occasionally the tomatoes may be omitted for "white catfish stew", though this variety is somewhat uncommon. Hot sauce or Tabasco sauce is often added as well.