Beer Batter Fish Tacos

When I make fish tacos (Rubio's style), my preference is to use beer batter. To me, the beer helps make the fish taste better. There is also a scientific reasoning behind why beer makes the batter lighter and more crispy than other liquids. Many years ago (before Instructables), I would buy beer batter packages at the grocery store. I always felt like I was getting ripped off. So, I searched and modified and made my own recipe. For those people who need Gluten-Free, don't worry, I have tried this recipe with Gluten-free ingredients and it comes out just as good. For proper fish tacos, you will need to also need make a white sauce. It will add a level of smoothness and creaminess to the tacos. Don't worry, it is very easy.

Ingredients (makes 12 tacos)

• 16 ounces of fresh, mild tasting fish (cod, pollack)
• Beer Batter Ingredients:
  
  • 1 cup all purpose flour. For Gluten-Free, I use Jules All-Purpose Gluten-Free flour.
  • 1 cup beer (I prefer an IPA or something with higher alcohol content). For Gluten-Free, Omission Pale Ale is a good substitute.
  • 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder.
  • 1/2 teaspoon Black Pepper.
• Oil for frying: Canola, vegetable or your preference.
• White Sauce
  
  • 1/2 cup mayo.
  • 1/2 cup plain yogurt. The picture shows coconut flavored yogurt. You can try different flavors to suit your taste. I still prefer the plain, but the coconut was interesting.
• 2 cups finely shredded cabbage.
• 12 corn tortillas.
• Limes cut into wedges.
• Avocado: cut into slices.
• Salsa: See my instructable for Fire Roasted Tomato Salsa.

Instructions:

• Make beer batter. Combine the flour with garlic powder and black pepper. Mix with beer and let sit at least 1 hour. I usually refrigerate it during this time, since it will make the batter a little thicker and provide a thicker coating.
• Cut fish into 1+ ounce strips. Wash fish in cold water with a pinch of salt and lime juice, dry completely. When cutting, sometimes I end up with a few pieces that are too small. It's not a big deal. Just stick them together when you batter and after you are done, they will look like one piece and will taste just fine.
• Heat oil to 375 Fahrenheit (Medium).
• Whisk batter vigorously to reduce clumps.
• Coat fish in batter and fry until golden brown, drain oil. I use two sets of chopsticks for frying. One set for placing the fish into the batter, getting it coated and placing it into the frying pan. Once it is in the frying pan, use another set to move and flip them. This way, you don't need to use your hands or have to repeatedly clean your utensils since they are getting sticky and clumpy from the batter. Extra Tip: When I am done frying the fish, I always have a little batter left. Instead of tossing it out, cut up some onion slices and make some beer battered onions rings.
• Warm Tortillas. Warm the tortillas on a griddle. A skillet will work as well.
• Assemble Fish Tacos: Apply a spoonful of white sauce to a tortilla and spread slightly. Cover with a layer of shredded cabbage. Place beer battered fish on top. Add avocado and salsa. Squeeze a little lime juice over the top. Enjoy!