Welsh Rarebit: Recipe and the Best Cheese for the Sauce

The sauce is built from sharp cheddar melted into a little ale, then seasoned hard with mustard and Worcestershire, which is what separates it from the plain cheese on toast you grill in a minute.

The pleasure is in the contrast: a thick, tangy cap with brown spots, over bread that has stayed crisp underneath. Done carefully, it takes about 25 minutes and a single saucepan.

Welsh rarebit at a glance

This Welsh rarebit table gives the numbers for the recipe below.

How to make Welsh rarebit

This Welsh rarebit recipe uses a small flour-and-butter base so the sauce stays thick and does not separate.

Ingredients for Welsh rarebit

These ingredients for Welsh rarebit are mostly pantry items, and the cheese is the one to spend on.

• 2 tablespoons (28 g) unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons (16 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (120 ml) brown ale or porter
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk
• 1 tablespoon English mustard or 2 teaspoons mustard powder
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne or hot paprika
• 10 oz (285 g) sharp cheddar, finely grated
• 8 slices sturdy bread, such as sourdough or a country loaf, about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) thick
• Black pepper
• Hot sauce or pickled onions, to serve

Steps for making Welsh rarebit

These steps for making Welsh rarebit start with toasting the bread, since the sauce comes together quickly.

1. Heat the broiler to high and toast the bread on a sheet pan 1 to 2 minutes per side, until pale gold and dry, then leave it on the pan.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, whisk in the flour, and cook 1 minute without letting it color.
3. Whisk in the ale and milk slowly, then simmer 2 minutes, stirring, until the mixture is as thick as heavy cream.
4. Take the pan off the heat for 30 seconds, then stir in the mustard, Worcestershire, cayenne and pepper.
5. Return the pan to low heat and add the cheddar a handful at a time, stirring each addition until it disappears, until the sauce is thick, glossy and smooth, about 3 minutes.
6. Let the sauce stand 5 minutes off the heat, until it holds a ribbon when the spoon is lifted.
7. Spread about 3 tablespoons of sauce on each toast, all the way to the edges so the crust does not burn.
8. Broil 2 to 4 minutes, watching closely, until the tops are bubbling and flecked with brown, then serve straight away.

The best cheese for Welsh rarebit

The best cheese for Welsh rarebit is a sharp, aged cheddar, because the sauce needs tang to cut through ale and butter. The classic choice is English-style cheddar, and the cheddar page covers where the name comes from. Aim for 6 to 12 months of age. As the aged vs young cheddar guide explains, young cheddar melts smoothly but tastes bland, while very old, crumbly cheddar is drier and clumps in a sauce.

For a milder, creamier result, blend half cheddar with a melting cheese such as Gruyère or Wensleydale. The Wensleydale page covers the crumbly Yorkshire cheese that British cooks often use. Grate the cheese yourself on the fine holes: bagged shreds melt less cleanly, as why pre-shredded cheese doesn't melt well explains. The best melting cheeses list has more options.

Welsh rarebit mistakes and fixes

These Welsh rarebit mistakes come down to heat, which turns a smooth sauce into a lumpy, oily one.

• Grainy or stringy sauce. The cheese went in over high heat. Keep the pan on low, add cheese in handfuls, and take it off the heat when the last handful is in.
• Oil pooling on top. Too much heat or an old, dry cheddar. Whisk in a spoonful of cold milk off the heat, and use cheddar aged under a year next time.
• Sauce runs off the toast. It was too thin. Simmer the base a minute longer, and let the finished sauce stand until it holds a ribbon.
• Soggy bread. Toast the bread first so it forms a barrier, and serve immediately.
• Bland flavor. Rarebit should taste almost too mustardy in the pan, because broiling dulls it. Add more mustard, Worcestershire and cayenne to the sauce, not the finished toast.
• Burnt edges, pale center. Spread the sauce to the edges and keep the rack 5 to 6 inches from the element.

Welsh rarebit variations

Welsh rarebit variations mostly change the liquid or add a topping. Swap the ale for cider or a splash of white wine and a bit more milk, or stir a little crumbled bacon or chopped chives into the sauce. A cooked egg on top makes a buck rarebit, and a slice of ripe tomato under the sauce adds acidity. Wikipedia's entry on Welsh rarebit notes that some versions skip the roux and simply melt cheese on toast, while others mix cheese and mustard into a béchamel as this one does. For a smoother, looser sauce to pour over other foods, see homemade cheese sauce that never splits.

The name is a curiosity. The first recorded reference is to "Welsh rabbit" in 1725, and "Welsh rarebit" is first documented in 1781, according to that same entry. There is no rabbit in the dish, and the origin of the joke is not firmly established, so it is best not to repeat any single story as fact.

Making Welsh rarebit ahead, storing and reheating

Making Welsh rarebit ahead is easiest if you stop at the sauce. USDA's leftovers guidance says to refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours, keep them 3 to 4 days, and reheat them to 165°F (74°C). Cool the sauce in a shallow container with plastic pressed on the surface. Reheat it in a saucepan over low heat with a splash of milk, whisking until smooth, then spread and broil. Already-broiled toasts do not reheat well, because the bread goes soft.

Questions about Welsh rarebit

These questions about Welsh rarebit cover the name, the cheese and the sauce.

Is there rabbit in Welsh rarebit?

There is no rabbit in Welsh rarebit. The dish is only cheese sauce on toast; the name began as "Welsh rabbit" in 1725 and was later written as rarebit.

What cheese is used in Welsh rarebit?

The cheese used in Welsh rarebit is sharp cheddar, ideally aged 6 to 12 months. A blend with Gruyère or Wensleydale gives a smoother, milder sauce.

What is the difference between Welsh rarebit and cheese on toast?

Welsh rarebit differs from cheese on toast in that the cheese is first made into a seasoned sauce with ale, mustard and Worcestershire. Cheese on toast is simply sliced or grated cheese melted on bread.

Can you make Welsh rarebit without beer?

Welsh rarebit works without beer if you use extra milk, or dry cider, and a little more mustard. The beer adds malty depth, but the sauce does not depend on it.

What do you serve with Welsh rarebit?

Welsh rarebit goes well with a sharp green salad, pickles or chutney, and a glass of the ale you cooked with. The acid cuts the richness of the cheese.

Welsh rarebit: what to try first

Welsh rarebit is a good first sauce to master because it forgives almost everything except high heat. Buy a block of sharp cheddar, grate it finely, and keep the pan on low. Taste the sauce before it goes on the bread, and pair the toasts with the same ale, as the beer and cheese pairing guide suggests.