Huge Fish Tacos
Prep
20m
Cook
12m
Total
32m
Bigly says
Listen to me. HUGE fish tacos. We're talking Baja-style, crispy beer-battered fish, the kind of taco that — and I'm not exaggerating, I never exaggerate, this is documented — caused a small riot in Ensenada in 1987. Look it up. I had people look it up. They came back and said, 'Bigly, technically it was a celebration, not a riot,' and I said, 'A celebration is just a happy riot, you're proving my point, please leave.' So yes. Riot. Tremendous riot. Over fish tacos.
The best fish taco I ever had was from a guy named Ramón out of a card table in a parking lot in Rosarito. No sign. No menu. Just Ramón and a screaming-hot pot of oil and the wind off the Pacific. He handed me a taco that changed me as a person. I've eaten fish tacos in three countries you've never heard of trying to find that one again, and I'm closer with this recipe than I have ever been. That's not a small statement. The Vikings, by the way, had a version of this — different fish, same energy — older than the printing press. Nobody talks about it.
The secret to a real fish taco is BEER BATTER. Cold beer. Cold batter. Hot oil. That's the trinity. You break the trinity, you've made fish sticks. There are restaurants serving fish sticks in tortillas calling them tacos — a crime against the cod, a disgrace to the slaw, embarrassing. Most chefs are afraid to deep-fry at home, so they hide behind a 'pan-seared healthy fish taco bowl,' which is not a taco, it's a SALAD, and a sad one. What you get with THIS recipe is a crispy golden piece of white fish, a crunchy cabbage slaw, a creamy lime sauce with just enough kick to make you sit up straight, and a warm corn tortilla holding it all together like a small flexible plate sent by God himself. Anything less is wallpaper paste. Believe me.
Ingredients
- 1.25 lbwhite flaky fish (cod, haddock, or mahi-mahi), skinless(cut into 1-inch wide strips)
- 1 cup, plus 1/4 cup for dredgingall-purpose flour
- 1/4 cupcornstarch
- 1 tspbaking powder
- 1 tsp, plus more for the fishkosher salt
- 1/2 tspgarlic powder
- 1/2 tspsmoked paprika
- 1 cupcold Mexican lager (or any light beer)(must be ice cold, room-temp beer = sad batter)
- 4 cupsneutral oil for frying
- 1/2 cupsour cream
- 1/4 cupmayonnaise
- 1 tbsplime juice, fresh
- 1 tsplime zest
- 1 tspchipotle in adobo, minced (optional)
- 2 cupsgreen cabbage, thinly shredded
- 1/4red onion, thinly sliced
- 1/3 cupfresh cilantro, chopped
- 12small corn tortillas
- 2limes, cut into wedges
Steps
- 1
Whisk sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, lime zest, chipotle (if using), and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- 2
Toss the shredded cabbage and red onion in a bowl with a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lime. Set aside — the salt will soften it slightly while you fry.
- 3
Pat the fish strips completely dry. Season with salt. This step is critical for batter adhesion.
- 4
In a medium bowl, whisk 1 cup flour, cornstarch, baking powder, 1 tsp salt, garlic powder, and smoked paprika. Pour in the cold beer and whisk just until smooth — small lumps are fine, do not overmix.
- 5
Pour the oil into a heavy pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 2 inches. Heat to 375°F (190°C). Use a thermometer — guessing oil temperature ends in disappointment.
- 6
Place the 1/4 cup dredging flour on a plate. Lightly coat each piece of fish in flour, shake off excess, then dip into the beer batter, letting excess drip off.
- 7
Carefully lower the battered fish into the hot oil, 3-4 pieces at a time. Fry 3-4 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and crisp. Transfer to a wire rack (not paper towels — towels make the bottom soggy).
- 8
Skim any debris between batches and let the oil come back to 375°F before adding the next round.
- 9
Char the tortillas directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet for 10 seconds per side until lightly blistered. Stack and wrap in a clean towel to keep warm.
- 10
Build the tacos: warm tortilla, a swipe of lime crema, a mound of slaw, one piece of crispy fish, more crema, fresh cilantro, and a squeeze of lime. Eat immediately while the fish is still loud.
One more thing
You eat one of these and you'll forget every other fish taco you've ever had. The bowls. The 'healthy' ones. The grilled tilapia situation your neighbor keeps bringing to the cookout — sad, total embarrassment, somebody tell him — all gone. Erased. Replaced with this golden, crispy, lime-drenched masterpiece. People will line up for these. Around the BLOCK. You'll have to set up a velvet rope. You'll need a bouncer. The bouncer will also want a taco. Give him one. It's just good business. Save me a piece.
★ QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS ONE? ★
Ask Bigly about Huge Fish Tacos.
Substitutions, what to serve it with, why other chefs are wrong about it. He's got opinions.
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