Beer Battered Cod Tacos
Crispy, crunchy, and so light! These beer battered cod tacos are made with your favorite ale and topped with cabbage slaw and a homemade sauce.
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This is one of those taco recipes that makes you wish you were at the beach. Fresh ingredients, handheld, and oh, so good!
Made with beer battered mild white fish, homemade cabbage slaw, a drizzle of zesty sauce, all wrapped in a soft flour or corn tortilla.
And don’t forget to add your favorite toppings! Hello, avocado and pico de gallo! Fried fish has never tasted so good.
Pair these tacos with some fries to round out your baja-inspired meal!
Beer Battered Cod Taco Tips
Use a deep pan for frying. As the oil heats, it will expand. Not to mention, the fish takes up space in the pan. Make sure you leave plenty of space for the oil to expand upward without overflowing the sides of the pan.
A wire rack is your friend! If possible, let the fish cool on a cooling rack suspended above paper towels. When you lay the fried cod directly on top of paper towels or a plate to cool, they sit in oil and get soggy.
Dry the fish really well. Make sure to get all the moisture out of the fish before dipping it into the beer batter. Otherwise, the batter could slide off of the fish or get soft.
FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)
What can I use in place of cod?
If you’re unable to find cod, try halibut, barramundi, or mahi mahi. All of those have a firm texture and mild flavor that would work in place of cod.
I don’t like ale. What other kind of beer can I use?
If you don’t like ale, opt for another mild flavored beer. A strong beer will come through in the batter, so look for something light.
What can I use in place of Old Bay Seasoning?
Use your favorite all-purpose seasoning blend in place of Old Bay. You’ll need to add some salt since Old Bay has a fair amount of sodium. A combination of garlic powder, onion powder, chipotle, and paprika are always a favorite.
Can I make beer battered cod tacos without beer?
If you’d rather not add beer to the batter use a soda water or seltzer water. Make sure that it doesn’t container sugar or sweetners. Swapping out the beer for water will change the flavor of tacos.
Storage
Store the components of the cod tacos in separate containers in the refrigerator. They’ll stay good for about 3 days.
Reheat the fried cod in a toaster oven or conventional oven until warmed through.
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Ingredients
For the Taco Sauce
- 1 ¼ cup mayonnaise
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice, juice from ½ a lemon
- 1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼ teaspoon chipotle powder
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon garlic salt
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
For the Slaw
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cups green cabbage, finely shredded
- 1 cup purple cabbage, finely shredded
- ¼ cup purple onion, thinly sliced
- 2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
For the Fish
- 2 pounds cod, cut into filets, fresh or frozen and thawed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons seafood seasoning, We used Old Bay.
- 1 large egg
- 12 ounces beer, Ale works well.
- 3 cups vegetable oil, for cooking the fish
For the Tacos
- 8 tortillas, corn or flour
- Lime wedges
- Extra cilantro
- Radish slices
Instructions
To Make the Taco Sauce
- Place all the sauce ingredients into a bowl, and whisk to combine. (Adjust the salt and pepper if desired.)1 ¼ cup mayonnaise½ cup sour cream1 ½ tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice1 teaspoon Old Bay Seasoning½ teaspoon dried dill½ teaspoon onion powder¼ teaspoon ground cumin¼ teaspoon chipotle powder¼ teaspoon smoked paprika¼ teaspoon garlic salt¼ teaspoon salt⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
- Refrigerate until ready to use.
To Make the Slaw
- Place the dressing ingredients into a bowl, and whisk to combine. Refrigerate until you're ready to dress the slaw.½ cup mayonnaise2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice1 teaspoon granulated sugar¼ teaspoon garlic powderSalt and pepper
- Add both types of cabbage, onion, and cilantro to a large mixing bowl. Pour the lime dressing over the cabbage mixture, and toss to combine. Refrigerate until ready to use.3 cups green cabbage1 cup purple cabbage¼ cup purple onion2 tablespoons cilantro
To Make the Cod
- Pour the oil into a heavy bottomed pan and heat over medium heat. While you're waiting for the oil to heat, prepare the beer batter.3 cups vegetable oil
- Use paper towels to pat the cod dry. Cut the fish filets into equally sized pieces. Our filets were large enough to cut into 4 pieces each giving us 16 pieces total. Season the cod with salt and pepper.2 pounds cod1 teaspoon salt½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- In a large, shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, and seafood seasoning.1 ½ cups all-purpose flour1 tablespoon garlic powder2 teaspoons seafood seasoning
- Add the egg, and slowly whisk in the beer until completely combined. The batter will be thinner than pancake batter but thicker than buttermilk.1 large egg12 ounces beer
- One at a time, dip a piece of fish into the batter and allow the excess to drip off. Carefully lower the fish into the hot oil (the oil will shimmer when it's hot enough; if the oil begins to smoke, it's too hot). Add 2-3 more pieces of fish, as much as the pan can easily hold without being overcrowded.
- While the fish cooks, line a large baking sheet with foil followed by paper towels. Add a wire rack on top of the paper towels. After the fish turns light golden brown use tongs to remove it from the pan and place it on the wire rack. It should read 145°F on an instant read thermometer.
To Assemble the Tacos
- Place 1-2 pieces of fish onto a tortilla (the amount of fish per tortilla is dependent on preference). Add some fish taco sauce, slaw, and additional toppings if desired. Serve immediately!8 tortillas