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RockfishLingcodWhite SeabassMediumFried

Baja Fish Tacos

Crispy beer-battered fish tucked into corn tortillas and topped with tangy red cabbage slaw and a smoky chipotle sauce. The real Baja deal — best made with fresh-caught rockfish or lingcod.

Prep: 25 min Cook: 20 min Total: 45 minServes
4

Ingredients

Cabbage Slaw

  • •5 cups shredded red cabbage (or one 10-oz bag)
  • •3 tbsp minced red onion
  • •½ cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • •3 tbsp cider vinegar
  • •1½ tsp vegetable oil
  • •½ tsp salt

Chipotle Sauce

  • •¾ cup mayonnaise
  • •2 tbsp fresh lime juice
  • •2–3 chipotle chiles in adobo sauce, plus 1–2 tsp sauce
  • •1 large garlic clove, roughly chopped

Beer Batter

  • •1 cup all-purpose flour
  • •1 tsp salt
  • •½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • •1 cup cold beer (lager or pale ale)

Fish & Tortillas

  • •1½ lbs skinless rockfish, lingcod, or white seabass — cut into 1×4-inch strips
  • •Vegetable oil for frying
  • •12 soft corn tortillas (6-inch), warmed
  • •Lime wedges for serving

Instructions

  1. 1Make the slaw: combine cabbage, red onion, cilantro, vinegar, oil, and salt in a medium bowl. Toss well and refrigerate.
  2. 2Make the chipotle sauce: blend mayonnaise, lime juice, chipotle chiles with adobo sauce, and garlic until smooth. Taste and adjust heat. Set aside.
  3. 3Make the batter: whisk together flour, salt, and pepper. Gradually add the cold beer, whisking until smooth and lump-free.
  4. 4Heat ½ inch of vegetable oil in a heavy skillet or Dutch oven to 350°F.
  5. 5Dip fish strips in the batter, letting excess drip off, then carefully lower into the oil. Fry in batches — do not crowd the pan — about 2 minutes per side until deep golden and crispy.
  6. 6Transfer fried fish to a wire rack or paper towels. Season immediately with a pinch of salt.
  7. 7Warm tortillas directly over a gas burner or in a dry cast iron skillet.
  8. 8Assemble: spread chipotle sauce on tortilla, add a spoonful of slaw, top with 2–3 pieces of fish, and squeeze lime over everything.

Pro Tips

Cold beer in the batter is key — the CO2 and temperature create a light, airy coating. Don't overmix the batter; small lumps are fine. Use fewer chipotles for a milder sauce, or add an extra one if you want heat. Leftover chipotle chiles can be frozen in a zip-lock bag for next time.

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