Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

You’ve probably noticed that good-quality white fish is slowly turning from a weekly staple to a special occasion ingredient, so every bite has to count. This beer-battered fish tacos recipe gets the best out of your fish, keeping it moist and flavorful, and would go into any Taco Tuesday lineup as a clear favorite.

There’s no need for a two- or three-step coating process. We’re using a wet batter, which means you can just dip and drop. The fried fish alone is gastronomic gold, but these tacos get even better with a crunchy, creamy slaw that takes your taste buds on vacation.

Ingredients for Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

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Slaw:

• Cabbage: Shred white cabbage into fine strips so your slaw is crisp but not rubbery.
• Mayonnaise: Mayo thickens the slaw and gives it a creamy tang. Light mayo is fine as a substitute.
• Cilantro: Finely chop fresh cilantro for that bright, herby aroma. Flat-leaf parsley is an alternative if you’re among those who find cilantro’s taste soapy.
• Sour cream: The sour cream adds depth and sharpness to balance the mayo’s creaminess. The lactic acid helps soften the cabbage too.
• Lime juice: Lime (or lemon) juice will bring the slaw to life and cut through any oiliness in the fish.
• Honey: A thin honey or maple syrup adds a warm caramel tone and takes some of the sourness out of the cabbage.

Batter:

• Flour: All-purpose flour will give you a light, crunchy batter that puffs up nicely.
• Baking powder: This will create air in your batter mix, keeping it crisp.
• Cayenne pepper: You’ll be surprised how much spice you’ll detect in each bite from just a little Cayenne pepper.
• Beer: It’s the signature ingredient in this recipe, acting as a leavening agent, thanks to the bubbles. Make sure it’s very cold. Nonalcoholic beer will work just as well as regular.
• Cod fillets: Cod is the ideal choice because it’s sweet, solid and not too fishy.
• Corn tortillas: Warm these to soften them for making the wrap that holds everything together.
• Optional toppings: Diced tomatoes, sliced avocado and/or pickled red onion can be added at the end.

Directions

Step 1: Prepare the slaw

In a small bowl, combine the cabbage, mayonnaise, cilantro, sour cream, lime juice, honey and a pinch of salt, then cover the bowl and refrigerate the slaw for at least 30 minutes.

Step 2: Prepare the batter

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Meanwhile, in an electric skillet, deep pan or deep-fat fryer, heat the vegetable oil to 375°F. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt and cayenne pepper, then gradually add the beer, stirring until you have a smooth, lump-free batter.

Step 3: Fry the fish

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Dip the fish fillets into the batter, one by one, allowing the excess to drip off. Fry the fish in batches until golden brown, two to three minutes on each side. Remove the fish from the oil and drain it on paper towels.

Editor’s Tip: Frying the fillets in small batches keeps the batter from becoming soggy in an overcrowded skillet.

Step 4: Build the tacos

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Serve the fish in warm tortillas with the slaw, topped with your chosen toppings.

Beer-Battered Fish Taco Variations

• Swap out the beer: You’ll still get a light, crunchy batter with club soda, which is faintly salty, or you could try a citrus-flavored soda or ginger ale, which will lose any excess sweetness in the final dish.
• Thicken your batter: You can get a thicker, chewier batter by adding egg yolk or corn flour to the flour mixture.
• Make cabbage-free slaw: Not a fan of cabbage? Finely shred lettuce, carrots and green onions instead, and reduce the refrigeration time so it doesn’t go soggy.

How to Store Beer-Battered Fish Tacos

You can store the separate ingredients, as in the slaw and fish fillets, in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to three days. Refrigerating the whole taco for later is not advisable, as it will turn mushy.

How do you reheat beer-battered tacos?

When you deep-fry fish in batter, the fish steams inside the batter and the oil is kept on the surface. However, when you reheat fried fish fillets, the oil has had time to penetrate the batter, so it won’t be as crispy. For the next-best result second time around, reheat the fish strips on a rack in a hot oven at 425° for seven to nine minutes.

Beer-Battered Fish Taco Tips

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What other kinds of fish can I use?

We’ve used cod here because it holds batter easily and stays succulent at a high frying temperature. You could try other types of white fish, however, including halibut, mahi mahi, tilapia or catfish. Avoid dark oily fish, such as salmon, mackerel or tuna.

What can I serve with beer-battered fish tacos?

These tacos are light in texture but substantial once you’ve factored in the tortilla, so they’re best served with a clean, citrusy salsa, a sweet succotash or a green salad. Or you can treat it as a regular fish fry and serve dips such as tartar sauce, pickles or just ketchup.

Why is my batter falling off?

Adding too much beer will create a runny batter that’s destined to drip. Alternatively, you might get the batter just right but use oil that isn’t hot enough, forgetting that there’s cold beer in the batter. Use a thermometer to check the temperature between batches.