Mexican · main

Beer-Battered Baja Fish Tacos

Beer-Battered Baja Fish Tacos reads sourness 6.0, citrus 5.4 and smoke 4.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Mexican main, about 27 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 4.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 1.8 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.6 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 5.4 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 4.2 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.9 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Sourness 6.0 · Citrus 5.4 · Smoke 4.8 · Heat 4.5 · Richness 4.0 · Umami 3.8 · Salinity 3.7 · Herbaceous 3.2 · Earthy 2.7 · Marine & Briny 2.7 · Funk & Ferment 2.6 · Warm Spice 1.8 · Sweetness 1.7 · Bitterness 1.5 · Floral 0.8 · Nutty 0.7 · Fruity 0.6

What's in it (16)

• cod — 454 g
• salt — 5 g
• all-purpose flour — 121 g
• cornstarch — 118 g
• baking powder — 5 g
• cumin — 3 g
• cayenne pepper — 1 g
• light beer — 340 g
• vegetable oil — 1306 g
• sour cream — 118 g
• mayonnaise — 27 g
• lime juice — 30 g
• chipotle chile — 100 g
• green cabbage — 473 g
• corn tortillas — 1200 g
• cilantro leaves — 15 g

Time & effort: about 27 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 248.2 kcal, 6.9 g protein, 8.1 g fat, 38.3 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains dairy — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, mayonnaise, 1 tablespoon of the lime juice, and minced chipotle with its adobo sauce; season with a pinch of salt. Cover and refrigerate until serving — this is your crema.
2. Toss the cabbage with the remaining 1 tablespoon lime juice and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl; set aside to soften while you fry.
3. Pat the fish strips dry and season on all sides with 1/2 teaspoon of the salt.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together 3/4 cup of the flour, the cornstarch, baking powder, cumin, cayenne, and remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Pour in the cold beer and whisk just until smooth and the consistency of thick pancake batter — a few small lumps are fine; do not overmix or the coating will turn tough.
5. Pour the oil into a heavy pot or Dutch oven to a depth of 2 inches and heat over medium-high to 375°F.
6. Working in batches, dredge the fish strips in the remaining 1/4 cup flour, shaking off the excess, then dip into the batter, letting the excess drip back into the bowl.
7. Carefully lower the battered fish into the hot oil and fry, turning once, until deeply golden and crisp and the fish flakes easily and reaches 145°F inside, 3-4 minutes per batch. Transfer to a wire rack to drain and season with salt while hot.
8. Warm the tortillas in a dry skillet over medium heat, about 20 seconds per side, until pliable and lightly speckled.
9. Fill the warm tortillas with the fried fish, top with the cabbage, a drizzle of the chipotle crema, and the cilantro. Serve with lime wedges.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Crispy Fish Tacos with Chipotle Crema — Tex-Mex
• Sheet-Pan Fish Tacos with Crunchy Slaw — Mexican · Baja
• Cauliflower and Black Bean Tacos with Chipotle Crema — Mexican
• Fish Tacos with Baja Crema and Cabbage Slaw — Mexican
• Ceviche Clasico — Peruvian

Keep reading: what sourness, citrus, smoke mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.