Blackened Fish Tacos with Hot Honey BBQ Crema

This is one of the five Overtime recipes from the Flavor Formation BBQ Box, the online-only bonus cooks that didn't fit in the printed booklet. It's the fastest cook in the whole lineup, and it's built on the same idea that runs through the entire box: three products, each playing a different position on the same taco.

Blackened Seasoning by The Spice Lab turns into a dark, spice-crusted shell on the fish in a few minutes. Williamson Bros. Hot Honey BBQ Sauce goes into a cool crema that brings sweet, tangy heat to every bite. Braswell's Al Pastor BBQ Sauce dresses the cabbage, so the crunch underneath the fish carries pineapple, chipotle and lime. Hot and smoky against cold, creamy and crisp is the whole reason this taco works.

The best fish for blackened fish tacos

You want a firm white fish that holds together on a hot surface and flakes into big pieces once it's cooked. Mahi mahi is the top pick: it's mild, meaty and thick enough to build a real crust before the center overcooks. Cod works well too and is easy to find. Snapper, halibut and grouper are all solid options if your fish counter has them.

Skip anything thin and delicate like sole or flounder. It cooks through before the crust has time to form, and it falls apart when you try to flip it. Aim for fillets around 1 inch thick, and cut larger fillets into hand-sized pieces so they're easier to turn.

Frozen fish is fine. Thaw it completely in the refrigerator, then pat it very dry with paper towels. Any water left on the surface steams instead of searing, and you'll end up with gray fish instead of a blackened crust.

Flat top, grill or cast iron: which surface to use

Blackening needs full contact between the seasoning and hot metal, so a solid surface beats open grates every time.

• Flat top griddle: The easiest option. Plenty of room to cook a full batch, warm tortillas alongside, and keep the smoke outdoors. If you're cooking on a Blackstone, the gear in our Flat Top collection covers everything you need.
• Cast iron skillet on the grill: Set the skillet over direct heat, close the lid and preheat it dry for about 10 minutes. Cast iron holds its heat when cold fish hits it, which is exactly what you want. Find one in the Cast Iron Collection.
• Grill grates: It works, but fish is the protein most likely to stick and tear on bare grates. Clean and oil the grates well, run them hot, and use a thin, flexible spatula like the Barebones Cowboy Grill Fish Spatula to get under the crust in one clean pass. Want a light touch of smoke? Toss a handful of Apple Wood Smoking Chips by Camerons on the coals or in a smoker box while the grill preheats. Apple is mild and sweet, so it won't fight the seasoning.

Whichever you choose, do it outside. Blackening throws off a lot of smoke, and the grill is the place for it. We cover setup, fats and timing for every protein in Pro Tip: Blackening on the Grill, Not in Your Kitchen.

Season heavier than feels reasonable

A light dusting of seasoning gives you a light-colored fish, not a blackened one. Brush the fillets lightly with oil (we like Graza "Sizzle" for cooking over high heat), then coat every side generously. The oil helps the seasoning stick and carries heat into it so the paprika, garlic and onion toast instead of sitting on the surface raw.

Blackened Seasoning by The Spice Lab is bold on flavor but mild on heat. The intensity comes from the crust and the black pepper, not from a lot of cayenne, so you can season generously without making the tacos too spicy for the table.

Why the hot honey BBQ crema matters

Blackened fish is hot, smoky and savory. The crema is cool, creamy and sweet with a slow chili burn on the back end. Together they balance each other out so neither one takes over the taco.

Williamson Bros. Hot Honey BBQ Sauce does most of the work here. Honey and brown sugar lead, red pepper follows, and the tomato and vinegar base keeps it from tasting like plain honey. Whisked into sour cream with lime and a pinch of salt, it turns into a drizzle that tastes like a lot more effort than it took.

Make the crema first and let it chill while the grill heats. It thickens up and the flavors come together in the fridge. If you want a looser drizzle, thin it with a little extra lime juice. Leftovers are great on burgers, fries and grilled chicken, and you can read more about the sauce behind it in the story of Williamson Bros. Bar-B-Q.

The Al Pastor slaw: sauce that does a dressing's job

Plain shredded cabbage gives you crunch and not much else. Toss it with a couple tablespoons of Braswell's Al Pastor BBQ Sauce and a squeeze of lime and it becomes its own layer of flavor. Pineapple and lime brighten the taco, chipotle adds a little smoke, and the vinegar in the sauce cuts through the richness of the crema.

Toss the slaw right before you build the tacos. Cabbage holds up better than lettuce, but the longer it sits in the sauce the more crunch it loses. If you're feeding a crowd, keep the dressed slaw and the plain cabbage in separate bowls and let people pick.

This is the same bottle that marinates and glazes the pork in the Flavor Formation booklet, and the Braswell's Al Pastor guide covers more ways to use it.

How to tell when the fish is done

Fish is done at 145°F internal, when the flesh turns opaque and flakes easily with a fork. Mahi and cod go from moist to dry fast, so check the thickest piece with a Grill Masters Club Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer a minute before you think it's ready. Let it rest 2 to 3 minutes before you break it into pieces so it stays juicy inside the taco.

Make it a full taco night with the Flavor Formation box

These fish tacos pair naturally with the Al Pastor Pork Tacos with Blackened Charred Pineapple from the printed Flavor Formation booklet. Set out both and you've got a two-protein taco bar: blackened fish with hot honey crema on one side, Al Pastor glazed pork on the other, and one bottle of Braswell's working on both.

Looking for more ways to cook with the box? The Hot Honey Blackened Chicken Sandwich puts the Blackened Seasoning and Hot Honey on chicken thighs, and the Hot Honey BBQ Burnt Ends take them low and slow. For another quick seafood cook, try our Peach Habanero Salmon Bites. You'll find every recipe and product breakdown in the Flavor Formation Box Overview.

Blackened fish taco FAQ

Are blackened fish tacos spicy?

Not very. Blackened Seasoning by The Spice Lab is mild on heat, and the hot honey crema has a gentle chili warmth that the sour cream softens. Most of the flavor comes from the toasted spice crust. If you want more heat, add sliced jalapeño or an extra spoonful of Hot Honey BBQ Sauce to the crema.

Corn or flour tortillas?

Either works. Small flour tortillas are softer and easier to fold around a full load of toppings. Corn tortillas bring more toasty flavor and pick up great char on the grill. Brush them lightly with oil, dust them with a pinch of Blackened Seasoning and warm them 30 to 45 seconds per side.

Can I make the crema and slaw ahead of time?

The crema, yes. Make it up to a day ahead and keep it covered in the refrigerator. Give it a stir and a squeeze of fresh lime before serving. The slaw is best tossed right before serving. You can shred the cabbage ahead, but hold the Al Pastor sauce and lime until you're ready to build the tacos so the cabbage stays crunchy.

Can I blacken fish on a pellet grill?

Yes, as long as you set a cast iron skillet or griddle insert on the grate and run the grill at its highest setting. Most pellet grills won't get bare grates hot enough to blacken fish directly, but a preheated cast iron surface will.