Ingredients
Beer Batter:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup dark Mexican beer*
Cream Sauce:
- 1/3 cup mayonnaise
- 2/3 cup Mexican crema** or sour cream
- 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 2 tablespoons water
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fish Tacos:
- Oil, for frying
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt, plus more for seasoning
- 2 pounds skinned halibut cut into 5 by 1/2-inch strips
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Corn tortillas
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 2 cups tomatillo salsa (store-bought or homemade) for garnish, optional
- Pickled jalapenos, for garnish, optional
Directions
For the Beer Batter:
Mix the flour, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Gradually add in the beer while whisking. Set aside and let the batter rest for 15 minutes before using.
For Cream Sauce:
Add the mayonnaise and crema to a medium bowl. Whisk in the lemon zest, lemon juice and water. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper (can be made 3 days ahead, covered and refrigerated).
For the Fish:
In a large skillet, over medium heat, add enough oil to reach a depth of 1-inch. Heat the oil until a deep-fry thermometer registers 350 degrees F or when the end of a wooden spoon sizzles when inserted into the oil.
On a large plate, combine the flour and salt. Season the fish pieces all over with salt and pepper and coat with the flour. Working in batches, dip the fillets in the beer batter and coat on both sides. Fry in the hot oil until golden brown and cooked through, about 5 minutes. Transfer to paper towels to drain.
Make tacos with the tortillas and fish and top each with cream, shredded cabbage, tomatillo salsa and pickled jalapenos, if desired.
*Cook's Note: Crack open a cold Mexican cerveza like a Negra Modelo or a 2 Equis (XX) Amber to make this tasty beer batter, which will change the way you think about fried fish! You can use it for vegetables, too.
**Cook's Note: Mexican Crema is Mexico's version of creme fraiche and is found at many supermarkets and can easily be substituted with sour cream.
1 Video | Photo: Baja Style Fish Tacos Recipe

















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By bluesatin
on May 05, 2013
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This was wonderful. I used Mahi Mahi & Dos Equis XX Amber for the batter. Used my deep fryer w/ corn oil, as deep frying uses far less oil than pan frying thus making a far less greasy meal. The crema was out of this world, but I did use lime instead of lemon b/c that is what a true mexican recipe would be. I julienned cucumbers instead of cabbage & chopped fresh jalepenos & serranos.
I served w/ Elote. Thru some stuffed jalepenos in the fryer when the fish was done.
I had a couple skeptics for Cinco de Mayo about fish tacos & they were true believers after one bite. This recipe will be my go to for any type of fish dinner, not necessarily even tacos.
By n83church
on February 24, 2013
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This was really good. I make fish tacos probably twice a month so i was looking for a new recipe and this one did it. I had a little difficulty breading the fish, but i used almond meal instead of flour so that may have been the reason. in place of the mexican beer, i used Budweiser Black Crown because i am a budweiser guy. a really good recipe, the sauce was so good.
By jlsword
North Carolina
on February 07, 2013
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This recipe was amazing! It was my first time making fish tacos. It was super easy and everyone loved them! Especially the 2 year old in the group. The local fish market didn't have halibut, so I used mahi mahi, and I am a cheese fanatic, so I added some taco cheese. The dish has even been requested for a birthday dinner. Can't wait to make it again!
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