Baja Fish Tacos (Tacos de Pescado)
Beer battered cod fish tacos served on corn tortillas with crunchy cabbage slaw and cilantro lime crema sauce.
Servings 6
Ingredients
- 4 filets of cod about 2 pounds
- 1 ¼ cups self-rising flour
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 1 12-ounce bottle of Mexican beer
- 2 cups neutral oil for frying canola, vegetable, avocado etc.
For the lime crema sauce:
- 2 tablespoons cilantro chopped
- Zest and juice of 1 small lime about 1 ½ tablespoons juice
- ½ cup Mexican crema or sour cream
To serve and assemble the tacos:
- Corn tortillas
- 1 bag Coleslaw mix or Mexican-style premade cabbage salad mix lightly dressed with lime, olive oil and salt
- Chopped avocado or guacamole optional
Instructions
- In a cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add 2 cups of oil and let it sit until it reaches 350°F. Meanwhile, line a baking pan with a wire rack and set aside.
- While the oil warms, use a sharp knife to cut each cod filet into 3 strips. Try to keep them all the same size so they cook evenly.
- Pat dry with a paper towel and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine the self-rising flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and chili powder and whisk to combine.
- Dip each piece of cod into the flour mixture, shake off the excess back into the bowl, and set aside.
- Add the beer to the flour mixture and whisk until there are no more lumps. The mixture will bubble and foam a lot.
- Working in small batches, add the fish to the batter, allowing the excess to drip off, and then place directly into the oil.
- Fry each side of the fish for 1-2 minutes until golden brown and immediately season with additional salt before setting aside on your wire rack lined baking sheet.
- To make the lime crema sauce, in a small bowl combine your Mexican crema or sour cream with the lime zest, lime juice, and cilantro, and stir to combine. Set aside.
- Warm up and char the corn tortillas, you can do this over an open flame on the stovetop/grill or on a griddle pan. Place them in tortilla warmer or wrap them in clean kitchen towel to keep them warm and soft.
- To assemble your tacos, lay a toasted corn tortilla flat and add a piece of the fried cod fish, the slaw, and a drizzle of your cilantro lime crema, and serve immediately.
