Catfish Tacos

We eat tacos quite frequently in my house. While my kiddos prefer traditional tacos made with ground beef flavored with taco seasoning, sometimes I like to mix things up a bit. These hot and crispy beer battered fried catfish tacos definitely fit the bill. I love using beer to batter my homemade onion rings, so I thought, “Why not use it for fried fish?”

Using beer as a liquid for batter creates a light, crispy crust when frying due to the carbon dioxide, foaming agents, and alcohol. As the fish fries, the alcohol evaporates faster, allowing for quicker cooking and a delicate, airy texture. Pair these little catfish nuggets with a creamy avocado crema sauce (which, by the way, I could eat by itself with a spoon), a delicious black bean salsa for texture, and a warm tortilla and you’ve got a perfect pairing for your next Taco Tuesday.

Fry the catfish

1. In a medium bowl, combine one cup of the flour, paprika, chili powder, cumin, and salt.
2. Add the beer to the flour mixture and stir until combined. Set the batter aside for 30 minutes.
3. In the meantime, coat the catfish filets in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour.
4. Add about two inches of oil to a large skillet. You want enough oil to allow each piece of fish to float freely. Heat the oil over medium high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F. Lower the heat the medium heat to maintain the temperature.
5. Add the floured catfish pieces to the beer batter and stir until the catfish is thoroughly coated with the batter. Let the excess batter drip off before transferring the pieces to the hot oil.
6. Working in batches, add the battered catfish pieces to the hot oil. Fry for two minutes, then flip and fry for an additional two minutes until the catfish is golden brown on all sides. 
7. Remove the fried catfish from the hot oil with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels. Season with additional salt, if desired.

Make the avocado crema

1. Scoop the avocado out into the bowl of a blender or food processor.
2. Add the buttermilk, sour cream, and lime juice. 
3. Process until the ingredients are smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Pour the crema into a small bowl for dipping or garnishing.

Make the black bean salsa

1. Wash the cilantro and remove the stems. 
2. Roughly chop the tomatoes and onion.
3. Place the cilantro, tomatoes and onion in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until the ingredients are slightly chunky and well combined. You can also chop everything by hand.
4. Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl. Add the garlic powder, olive oil, black beans and corn. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Assemble the tacos

1. Place 3-4 pieces of catfish in the center of a warm tortilla. 
2. Spoon the salsa over the top of the fish and drizzle with the avocado crema.

Storage and reheating instructions

Storage. Store the catfish in an airtight container or freezer bag lined with a paper towel. The paper towel will help absorb any excess moisture. The avocado crema and salsa should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Consume everything within four days.

Reheating. I don’t recommend using the microwave to reheat because it can overcook the fish and the beer batter coating will be soft. Instead, you can preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and spread the fish out in a single layer on a baking sheet. Reheat for 10-15 minutes until the crust starts to sizzle and crisp up and the fish is heated through. However, my preferred method for reheating is the air fryer. Arrange the fish in a single layer on the bottom of the air fryer basket. Reheat at 350 degrees for five minutes.