Baja Style Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

Two small white plates filled with tacos and surrounded by cups of red and green salsa and cans of Mexican beer.

5 from 3 votes

Baja Style Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

Transport yourself to Ensenada with these fresh and flavorful fish tacos! Light and crispy beer battered fish wrapped in a warm corn tortilla and piled high with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, cool and creamy crema and tangy salsa.

Prep Time30

Cook Time30

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Mexican

Servings:

Calories: 656kcal

Author: Leigh Anderson

Ingredients

Crema

1/2 cup sour cream
1/3 c mayo
2 tbsp lime juice
1/4 tsp kosher salt

Toppings

2 roma tomatoes seeded and diced
1/2 white onion diced
1 jalapeño seeded and diced
1/4 cup cilantro roughly chopped
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 lime cut into wedges

Beer Battered Fish

1 1/2 lb halibut or cod cut into 12(ish) pieces, about 1-inch x 4-inch
1 cup flour
1 tbsp smoked paprika
2 tsp garlic powder or onion powder
2 tsp kosher salt
1 egg
1 12 oz can Mexican beer Modelo, Pacifico, Tecate, etc.
neutral oil for frying enough to fill a large skillet three inches deep
12 warm corn tortillas

Instructions

Crema

In a small bowl whisk together the mayo, sour cream, lime juice and salt.

Toppings

Place the diced tomato, onion, jalapeño and cilantro in a small bowl. Season with a pinch of salt then stir to combine. Keep the shredded cabbage and lime wedges seperate.

Beer Battered Fish

Place a cast iron pan or heavy skillet over medium heat. Pour in the oil and heat to between 350 F and 375 F. Check the temperature using a candy thermometer.
While the oil is heating up get the batter ready. Place the flour, paprika, garlic powder and salt into a large bowl and whisk to combine. Next, crack in the egg and pour in the beer. Whisk to combine. The batter consistency should be a little bit runnier then pancake batter and completely smooth.
Pat the fish with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture then dip a piece of fish into the batter and let the excess drip back into the bowl. Carefully transfer it into the hot oil. Repeat with 5-6 more pieces, making sure not to crowd the pan. Let the fish cook for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until the batter is golden all around and the fish is cooked through.
Use a slotted spoon to transfer the fish from the oil to a paper towel lined tray. Season the fish with salt while it's still glistaning with oil. Repeat the process until all of the fish is cooked.
To assemble, warm the tortillas by wrapping them up in a damp paper towel and microwave for 30-45 seconds. Place 1-2 piece of fried fish in each tortilla then top with shredded cabbage, pico de gallo, and crema. Serve with salsa and lime wedges on the side.

Notes

Ingredient Notes and Substitutions:

Fish: Use the freshest fish that you can find for the best results. Any firm white fish works well for fish tacos; cod, halibut, snapper, mahi mahi, etc. Frozen fish is also fine, just make sure it is thoroughly defrosted and dried with paper towels first.
Beer: *Any* beer will work really. A Mexican lager is preferable, use whatever you like to drink. If you don't want to use alcohol you can use a plain seltzer or club soda.
Mayo: If you're a mayo hater you can skip it and use all sour cream.

Tips and Tricks for Light and Crispy Fried Fish:

Freshness is Key! Use the freshest fish that you can find for the best results. Any firm white fish works well for fish tacos; cod, halibut, snapper, mahi mahi, etc. Frozen fish is also fine, just make sure it is thoroughly defrosted and dried with paper towels first.
Prepare the batter right before you're ready to start frying and only dip the fish at the last moment before dropping it into the hot oil to fry. This is how you achieve a light and crisp snap to the batter.
Oil Temperature is important. Make sure the oil is at the right temperature. Use a thermometer to monitor the oil temp (at least 350F and no higher than 375F). If the oil is too hot, the fish wont cook fast enough before the coating is overly crisp. If the oil is not hot enough, the coating will be soggy/soft instead of crisp.
Don’t overcrowd the pot. Cramming to many pieces of cold fish into a pot of hot oil can lower the oil temp and keep the batter from crisping. For even color, maintain about an inch space between each piece of fish. Fry in batches of 4-6 pieces of fish at a time.

Nutrition