The Canned Ingredient That Belongs In Your Next Taco Night Spread

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When taco night is a regular on the agenda, and you want to go beyond the standard beef or chicken, maybe it's time to turn to a seafood alternative. For general fish options, the best fish to use for tacos is usually tilapia, cod, or mahi-mahi, although you can make quick and easy fish tacos with fish sticks. But when you want to branch out beyond the scale and tail, there's an easy canned ingredient that you can always keep on hand for amazingly delicious homemade tacos: canned oysters.

For some help on the subject, we reached out to an expert for a Chowhound exclusive. Charlotte Langley is the CEO of NICE CANS, a sustainably sourced tinned fish company. She knows her way around the can and offered some advice on how to make simple, tasty tacos — just one of the ways to elevate your canned oysters. As for how to go about it, she says "smoked oysters packed in olive oil are my go-to — especially Ekone's smoked oysters. They're rich, savory, and have this clean, briny flavor with just the right amount of smoke." Langley recommends a vibrant, spicy marinade — just a simple mix of fresh lime juice, minced garlic, and some chili oil "to wake them up." Making your canned oyster tacos can be as simple as tossing them in a quick marinade, then right into a tortilla, but Langley offers some more advice on how to refine the operation.

Depending on what flavors you're going for, you may want to consider chopping the oysters, rather than leaving them whole. "If I'm using smaller tortillas or doing a more composed taco," Charlotte Langley says, "I'll leave them whole to keep that creamy, meaty texture intact. But if I'm mixing them into slaw or doing a more casual taco spread, a rough chop helps distribute the flavor more evenly." To make a simple taco slaw, all you need is shredded cabbage, chopped red onion, diced carrots, and a little cilantro mixed with lime juice. You can add diced jalapeño or even just some powdered cayenne for more heat. Then simply chop your canned oysters and mix it all together.

Langley likes a full texture contrast and says you can use some shaved fennel, pickled onions, or sliced radish in place of the slaw and recommends a creamy addition like avocado or crema. "A little chili crisp or a dash of hot sauce over the top, plus cilantro and lime, and it's a perfect bite," she says. For even more crunch, you can, indeed, fry canned oysters. Just dredge them in a cornmeal and cornstarch mixture and fry until crispy.

As for what else to add on top, Langley suggests a salsa verde because it's fresh and bright but doesn't overtake the flavor profile. "If I'm using smoked oysters like Ekone's, I'll sometimes lean into that smokiness with a charred pineapple salsa or a light chipotle crema. You want something that complements the oysters, not competes with them."