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Real Welsh Rarebit

This classic Welsh rarebit makes a great lunch or brunch dish. You can use your favorite local beer, mustard, and any strong Cheddar cheese in this recipe. If you don't like beer, you can replace it with milk; it will still taste great!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine british
Servings 3 people
Calories 2116.8 kcal

Equipment

  • 1 Saucepan
  • 1 Whisk Essential for a smooth sauce
  • 1 Baking Sheet For toasting and broiling the rarebit
  • 1 Grater For shredding cheese, if not pre-shredded
  • 1 Spatula or wooden spoon For stirring the roux

Ingredients
  

Main

  • ¼ cup butter
  • ¼ cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon dry mustard
  • ¼ teaspoon Worcestershire sauce or more to taste
  • 2 drops Tabasco or more to taste
  • 1 cup whole milk
  • ½ cup beer
  • ½ pound sharp Cheddar cheese shredded
  • 6 slices bread

Instructions
 

  • Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Melt butter in a saucepan over low heat. Stir in flour, salt, pepper, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and hot pepper sauce. Cook and stir until smooth and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Remove the saucepan from the heat. Gradually stir in milk, then return to heat and stir continuously until mixture comes to a boil. Slowly pour in beer; cook and stir for 1 minute. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Melt Cheddar cheese into mixture in small portions until completely incorporated. Set the oven rack about 6 inches from the heat source and preheat the oven's broiler. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Toast bread slices on 1 side. Arrange on a baking sheet with the untoasted side facing up. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Spoon cheese sauce over untoasted side. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios
  • Cook under the preheated broiler until cheese sauce is bubbling and golden, 2 to 3 minutes. Serve hot. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios

Notes

Achieving a perfectly smooth rarebit sauce hinges on proper roux technique. Ensure the butter and flour mixture cooks for the full 5 minutes to eliminate any raw flour taste, stirring constantly. When incorporating liquids, gradually add the milk first off the heat, whisking vigorously to prevent lumps, then return to heat before adding the beer. Incorporate the shredded Cheddar in small batches, allowing each portion to melt completely before adding more, which ensures a silky, emulsified sauce. Keep a vigilant eye on the rarebit under the broiler; it transitions from golden to burnt very quickly. A robust, sharp Cheddar will yield the best flavor, and the choice of beer can subtly alter the final profile.