Perfect Fish Tacos
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Looking for an alternative to fried, baked or grilled fish? If you are a fan of tex-mex, give this recipe a try. Once you do, these fish tacos will become a permanent part of your fish cooking playbook.
Recipe
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 20 min.
Ingredients
The Fish
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless fish fillets (crappie and walleye are great choices)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- 12 – 8″ flour tortillas
The Seasoning
- 2 tbsp chili powder
- 2 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp oregano
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 2 tsp cayenne or red pepper flakes (optional)
The Sauce (Recipe from Natasha’s Kitchen)
- 1/2 cup of sour cream
- 1/3 cup of mayo
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp siracha
The Toppings
- 2 cups of shredded cabbage (white, red or a mixture)
- 2 cup fresh pico de gallo (recipe below)
Pico de Gallo
- 5 Roma tomatoes, diced
- 1/4 cup diced red onion
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- 1/2 large jalapeno pepper, seeds removed
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- salt to taste
Directions
Mix all of the sauce ingredients well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.
Mix all of the pico de gallo ingredients well. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour to allow flavors to blend.
Mix all of the seasoning ingredients well.
Make sure the fillets have been rinsed and dried thoroughly and that all bones and skin have been removed. Brush the fillets with the olive oil and then coat thoroughly in the seasoning.
Heat a cast iron skillet (preferred) or non-stick pan until it is very hot. Sear seasoned fillets for 2-3 minutes on each side, just until fillets are cooked through and the seasoning is dark (be carfeful not to burn). You may need to cook a little longer with thicker fillets.
Move the fillets to a cutting board to let them rest for 5 minutes. Once they have rested, chop the fillets into desired size for the tacos. The more your chop, the more the seasoning flavors will blend with fish.
Warm the tortillas in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Build the tacos in the following order:
1. Warm tortilla
2. Layer of fish
3. Layer of shredded cabbage
4. Drizzle of sauce
5. Layer of pico de gallo
Enjoy!
Blackened Fish
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This recipe for blackened fish is very basic but never fails to impress. It’s our favorite way to cook fresh, Great Lakes salmon, but works well with just about any fish. If you don’t like spicy, be sure to eliminate the cayenne pepper. You can also substitute your favorite dry rub for the cajun seasoning and the recipe works just as well; but be sure that the rub you use has salt in it. If not, you’ll want to add some to the fish prior to cooking.
Recipe
Serves: 6-8 Prep Time: 10 min. Cook Time: 10 min.
Ingredients
The Fish
- 2 lbs. boneless, skinless salmon (or your favorite fish) fillets
- 2 tbsp. cajun seasoning (see recipe below)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
Cajun Seasoning
- 2 parts each: garlic powder, paprika, salt
- 1 part each: oregano, onion powder, thyme, black pepper & cayenne pepper (optional, for heat)
Directions
For best results, use fillets that are of uniform thickness. I like to cut the thicker fillets horizontally to create thinner pieces of meat. Make sure the fillets have been rinsed and dried thoroughly. Cut the fillets into serving sized-portions. Lightly dust the fillets in the seasoning and then brush with olive oil. (Note: Be sure to add a little salt if the seasoning you use doesn’t have it.)
Heat a cast iron skillet (preferred) or non-stick pan until it is very hot. Sear seasoned fillets for 2-3 minutes on each side, just until fillets are just cooked through. You may need to cook a little longer with thicker fillets.
Move the fillets to a plate to let them rest for 5 minutes.
Serve over your favorite rice and side veggies.
Salmon Patties
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Never tried salmon patties? You’re gonna love them. I am told smoking the salmon before canning it puts it on another level. This recipe also works well with canned mackerel.
Recipe
Serves: 2-4 Prep Time: 20 min. Cook Time: 10 min.
Ingredients
- 1-15 oz. can of boneless, skinless salmon (or mackerel)
- 1 tbsp. Old Bay seasoning
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup of Italian bread crumbs
- 1/4 cup of diced onions (optional)
- 2 tbsp. olive oil
- Remoulade (optional)
Directions
Drain the can of salmon and flake the fish with a fork. In a separate bowl, whisk 1 egg.
Combine the salmon, egg, bread crumbs and diced onions (if desired) thoroughly with a fork. Mold into patties. One can should make 2 large patties or 4 smaller patties.
Heat a cast iron skillet (preferred) or non-stick pan until it is very hot. Add olive oil and wait 30 seconds for it to get hot. Sear patties until each side is uniformly browned, usually 3-4 minutes per side.
Drizzle the patties with the remoulade and serve.
Southern Fried Fish
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What makes southern fried fish different from any other? It’s the cornmeal base for the breading. Traditional for fried catfish, this breading works well with just about any fish that you would fry. The key to this recipe (or any fried food) is to maintain the oil temps between 300-350 during the cooking process.
Recipe
Serves: 2-4 Prep Time: 30 min. Cook Time: 15 min.
Ingredients
- 1 lb. boneless fish fillets
- Dry breading mix (You can use a ready-made mix like Lousiana Fish Fry New Orleans Style or you can follow the recipe below).
- 1 cup of milk
- 1 egg
Dry Breading Mix
- 1 cup of cornflour or cornmeal
- 1 tbsp. cajun/creole seasoning
Directions
Prepare the fillets by ensuring all bones have been removed. Leaving the skin on is optional, but I prefer it removed. If using large fillets (like walleye), cut them into serving sized pieces. Pat fish dry.
In a bowl, whisk 1 egg with a cup of milk. In a separate bowl, combine the seasoning with the cornflour/cornmeal.
Fill a cast iron skillet or deep fryer with enough peanut oil to fry. For cast iron, 1/2″ of oil does the trick. For a deep fryer, follow the directions for your fryer for appropriate fill level. Pre-heat the oil to 350 degrees. It is important not to heat above this as the oil will begin to breakdown. This will cause an off-taste in the fish as well as put bad chemicals into your body.
Dip each piece of fish in the egg/milk mixture, then in the dry corn flour mixture. Place in the hot oil.
Fry the fish in small enough batches so that the oil temp doesn’t drop below 300. If the temp drops much below this, the fillets will start to soak up the oil.
Fry each batch until golden brown. As long as the oil temp stays in range, this should only take 3-4 minutes in a deep fryer and 2-3 minutes per side in a frying pan.
Remove the fillets to a paper towel lined plate to remove the excess oil. Lightly salt immediately so the salt will stick.
As long as you didn’t burn the cooking oil it can be filtered and reused.