Baja Fish Tacos (Beer Battered)

About This Beer Battered Fish Tacos Recipe

The beer batter recipe we present here is calibrated to yield the perfectly crunchy fried fish pieces typical for Baja fish tacos. It does not include egg and the resulting casing is extra light, never chewey, while it still adheres to the fish really well.

We also flavor the batter and the fish before we dip it into the batter. Heaven! Simply follow our instructions.

What are Baja Fish Tacos?

Baja-style fish tacos originated in Baja California, Mexico and consist of deep-fried white fish accompanied by shredded cabbage and a creamy sauce.

The crispy fried fish is said to have been influenced by Japanese immigrants to the coastal areas of Mexico who brought with them the famed tempura style frying. Essentially a taco Baja style means a fish taco prepared as tempura and assembled with crunchy cabbage and creamy white sauce.

What Fish is in a Baja Fish Taco?

White fish with lean and flakey flesh is best suited for deep frying in a batter. It has milder flavor, it holds up really well and it is usually inexpensive. To that end consider fish fillets such as:

• Cod is a traditional choice for beer battered fish because it is plentiful and inexpensive. The texture of its flesh is perfectly suited to the cooking style.
• Mahi mahi is another great option for fish tacos because of its milder flavor and excellent firm flesh. (We used mahi mahi for the demonstration in this post.)
• Halibut is a more pricey option but excellent in all regards.
• You can also beer batter and fry catfish, tilapia, bass and snapper to prepare Baja fish tacos.

What Does Beer Do to the Battered Fish?

The beer helps create an airy and flavorful batter. While as a liquid beer binds the dry batter ingredients its carbonation introduces tiny bubbles to the mixture which translates to a lighter casing.

Chef's Secret for a Super Crispy Beer Batter for Fish

To create an extra crunchy beer batter for fish we recommend a ratio of 2:1 of all-purpose flour to corn starch.

As previously mentioned we do not use an egg which causes the batter to become somewhat chewy even as it helps it adhere to the white meat.

Instead, to cause the batter to better stick to the flesh of the fish sticks we dredge each piece in flour. The flour coating helps the batter adhere to the fish and it does not fall off during frying.

Ingredients for Beer Batter for Fish

Flour and corn starch. The combination is a powerful one because the presence of the corn starch mitigates the effect of stirring the batter in terms of gluten development and creates extra crunch.

Baking powder. To help the batter become more airy.

Kosher salt, cayenne pepper, other seasonings. To flavor the batter. You can opt for white or black pepper instead of cayenne or add other seasonings such as paprika or a touch of onion or garlic powder.

Beer. A highly carbonated brew is your best bet. See the section below for specific ideas.

TIP: Be sure to use baking powder and not baking soda as called for by many recipes. It works MUCH better. The beer activates the tartaric acid in baking powder which produces more carbon dioxide bubbles (in addition to beer's own carbonation). The result is a superior batter mantle with a much lighter texture.

What Kind of Beer is Best for Battered Fish?

We recommend Mexican style light lagers such as Modelo, Corona, Dos Equis. They are highly carbonated and very well suited for beer battering.

Or if you want to obtain even more flavor from the batter, use a more intensely flavored Mexican dark lager such as Modelo Negra or Dos Equis Ambar. The dark lagers would also make the fried batter appear darker in color.

What to Use to Fry Beer Battered Fish?

The choice of equipment is important not only for how crispy your fish nuggets will turn out but also for your ease of use and overall cooking experience. No one wants to do a very deep clean after a single cooking session:).

To deep fry the beer battered fish we recommend using a deep fryer OR a large heavy bottomed deep pot such as Dutch oven OR a Japanese frying pot for tempura, like the one seen in the photos.

In terms of type of oil to use for deep-frying fish we recommend one with neutral flavor such as sunflower oil, peanut oil or vegetable oil.

Chef's Notes - Workflow for Beer Battered Fish Tacos Baja Style

To enjoy the crispy fish tacos at their best it is prudent to plan your workflow so that everything you do is perfectly timed and once the fish is all fried you can immediately move to enjoying the tacos. To that end here is the order in which we recommend you do things.

1. Prepare the fixings, tortillas and garnishes in advance.
2. Then prepare the fish and the batter and finally fry the fish.

Fish Taco Sauce

The chipotle sauce for fish tacos we suggest coud not be simpler to prepare. All you need to do to make it is mix Mexican crema with chipotle peppers in adobo, to taste. You really do not want to thin it out, trust us. See the picture grid below.

Slaw for Fish Tacos

The contrast between the crisp beer batter mantle, soft fish and the crunchy cabbage adds to the gustatory experience offered by Baja fish tacos.

To make coleslaw for fish tacos you need cabbage (we used both purple and white for the visual appeal, you can use green cabbage too), green onions, fresh cilantro, limes, salt and olive oil. See the picture grid below.

Prepare the Corn Tortillas

Once you have taken care of the slaw and our version of the creamy sauce for fish focus on preparing pefectly flavorful, pliable corn tortillas which further elevate the Baja fish tacos. (You can heat flour tortillas in the same way).

Our tried and true, always relied upon method of creating such tortillas is to warm them up with a tiny bit of bacon fat. We collect the fat rendered by bacon when we cook it and store in in a container in the fridge for just such uses. If you do not have any on hand use a little bit of neutral oil such as sunflower to warm up the tortillas.

Perform the steps below and store the warm, delicious tortillas in a covered skillet until needed. They will stay warm and will not dry out while you make the fish.

Make The Beer Battered Fish

You can enjoy the luxury of mixing the batter a bit more than what would be prudent normally, because one third of the flour mixture is actually corn starch. Gluten will develop less rapidly and the batter will deliver crispy casing to the fish.

1. Start by Preparing the Fish

As illustrated below, pat dry, cut and season the fish with salt and pepper. Then dredge each piece in flour which will help the batter stick to the fish later.

2. Heat the Frying Oil & the Oven THEN mix the Beer Batter

Do not whisk the batter until everything is ready for you to begin frying the fish. The longer a batter sits the less crispy the battered food will be due to gluten development (even as a third of the mix is corn starch).

NOTE: It is important to keep the fried fish warm. To do that pre-heat your oven to 300F and have a wire rack fitted over a baking sheet at the ready. Once you place the first batch of fish over it to drain you can move the entire set up to the oven to keep warm while you work on the next batches.

3. Finally deep-fry the fish.

Once you oil has reached 350 F you may begin the cooking process. Place the bowl with the batter near the stove with the oil and carefully dip each floured piece of fish in it. Allow excess batter to drain and carefully lower into the hot oil.

Fry until the fish is golden brown. Should be about 3 to 4 minutes depending on how big your pieces are. To get a good idea of how well cooked the fish on the inside is do break in half one of the first pieces you fry to visually inspect the fish flesh inside. Make adjustments accordingly.

Drain the fish over a wire rack fitted on top of a baking sheet or paper towels. We highly recommend that you transfer the fried fish to the preheated oven so it can stay warm and crispy until you finish frying it all.

Tips for Success

Once again, to fry the beer battered fish we advise you to use either a large heavy bottomed deep pot such as Dutch oven OR a Japanese tempura frying pot as you see in our pictures. It even has a built in thermometer and wire rack where you can place the fish to drain before you transfer it to the wire rack in the oven. Such pots are extremely useful addition to any kitchen where deep frying is of interest and we highly recommend them.

• Do not overfill the frying pot with oil in order to account for the fish you will be adding. About a third to just under a half full (height wise) pot is ideal.
• Maintain even oil temperature within the 325F-360F range, aiming for the ideal 350F. Adding too many fish pieces will lower the oil's temperature, carefully watch the deep-fry thermometer.
• Once you begin frying the beer battered fish focus on the task at hand. Deep-frying requires attention.
• Use a slotted spoon to lift the fish from the oil - it works much better than using kitchen tongs.
• Resist the temptation to deep-fry unbattered fish. Even if you run out of batter, at least toss the fish in flour as anything wet you try to deep fry will splatter vigorously and can cause burns.

Assemble the Tacos

To put together the Baja style fish tacos in a manner consistent with the original, first place a bit of the coleslaw, then the fish and top with a dollop of the crema. Garnish with cilantro and a squeeze of lime juice.

What to Serve with Fish Tacos

Besides the warmed corn tortillas, creamy chipotle sauce for fish tacos and crunchy shredded cabbage slaw demonstrated above consider serving the following sides with your fish tacos:

• thinly sliced fresh avocado
• guacamole
• lime wedges (for a touch of acidity)
• fire roasted tomato salsa
• diced fresh tomatoes
• pico de gallo
• cilantro (for garnish)
• grilled corn (shaved off the cob)
• quick pickled red onions
• jalapenos fresh or pickled, thinly sliced

Storing and Reheating

The essence of beer battered fish tacos is the crunchy outside in combination with the flakey flesh of the fish inside. Do your best to not have leftovers because once the fish is cold reheating it will always, inevitably, pale in contrast to the just fried delight.

If you absolutely must store and reheat beer battered fish for tacos, store it once cold, in an airtight container and in the refrigerator.

Reheat it either by repeat, flash friying it at 350 F or arrange over a wire rack fitted baking sheet and reheat in a 350 F oven for a few minutes. Expect to be disappointed by the reheated version. All fried food is best as soon as prepared.