Welsh Rarebit

Name: Welsh Rarebit
Total time: 18 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 400 g Mature cheddar; 4 piece thick white bread; 30 g Unsalted butter; 15 g Plain flour; 120 ml Welsh ale; 2 tbsp Worcestershire sauce; 1 tsp English mustard; 1 pinch White pepper; 2 piece Egg yolks

18 min · 9 min 5s active · makes ~635 g · Medium

Welsh rarebit combines mature cheddar and Welsh ale in a creamy sauce over toasted bread, finished with egg yolk richness. Serves 4.

See more →

Welsh Rarebit

Welsh rarebit combines mature cheddar and Welsh ale in a creamy sauce over toasted bread, finished with egg yolk richness. Serves 4.

See more →

TOTAL TIME

18 min

ACTIVE TIME

9 min 5s

QUANTITY

~635 g

DIFFICULTY

Medium

CUISINE

—

Who’s eating

Cooking for A typical adult.

This should leave everyone comfortably full.

Portions & fullness

Ingredients0/9

Tools0/12

Ingredients

0/9 gathered · 4 servings

400g

4piece

30g

15g

120ml

2tbsp

1tsp

1pinch

2piece

#	Quantity	Notes	State
1	400g	—	—
2	4piece	—	—
3	30g	—	—
4	15g	—	—
5	120ml	—	—
6	2tbsp	—	—
7	1tsp	—	—
8	1pinch	—	—
9	2piece	—	—

Tools

12 items

Serveware

1 item

Procedure

26 steps

1 of 26

Set the oven to its grill setting and let it heat fully.

220°C

⏱ 10 min

2 of 26

Grate the cheddar on the coarse side of the grater directly onto the board.

Mature cheddar · 400 g

⏱ 1 min

ResultGrated Cheddar

3 of 26

Tip the grated cheddar into a medium bowl and set aside.

Grated Cheddar · step 2

⏱ 10s

ResultGrated cheddarused in step 21

4 of 26

Lay the 4 thick slices of bread flat on the chopping board.

Thick white bread · 4 piece

⏱ 20s

ResultSliced white bread

5 of 26

Lay the bread slices flat on the baking tray.

Sliced white bread · step 4

⏱ 10s

ResultSliced white bread

6 of 26

Slide the baking tray under the grill.

⏱ 10s

ResultSliced white bread

7 of 26

Grill the bread until golden on both sides, turning once with tongs halfway through.

220°C

⏱ 3 min

ResultToasted bread

8 of 26

Pull the tray out of the oven and set it aside while you make the rarebit sauce.

⏱ 10s

ResultToasted bread

9 of 26

Add the butter to a medium saucepan.

Unsalted butter · 30 g

⏱ 5s

ResultUnsalted butter

10 of 26

Set the pan over a medium-low heat and let the butter melt gently without colouring.

⏱ 1 min

ResultMelted butter

11 of 26

Add the flour to the melted butter in the pan.

Plain flour · 15 g

⏱ 5s

ResultUncooked roux

12 of 26

Stir constantly over the heat for about a minute until the mixture forms a smooth, sandy paste and smells biscuity.

⏱ 1 min

ResultPale roux

13 of 26

Pour the ale into the roux a little at a time, stirring vigorously between additions to keep the mixture smooth.

Welsh ale · 120 ml

⏱ 5s

ResultPale roux and welsh ale

14 of 26

Stir the sauce continuously over a medium-low heat until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

⏱ 1 min 30s

ResultSmooth ale sauce

15 of 26

Add the Worcestershire sauce to the sauce in the pan.

Worcestershire sauce · 2 tbsp

⏱ 5s

ResultSmooth ale sauce and worcestershire sauce

16 of 26

Stir the English mustard straight into the pan.

English mustard · 1 tsp

⏱ 5s

ResultSmooth ale sauce and worcestershire sauce and english mustard

17 of 26

Add a pinch of white pepper to the sauce.

White pepper · 1 pinch

⏱ 5s

ResultSmooth ale sauce and worcestershire sauce mixture

18 of 26

Take the pan off the heat entirely so the sauce is warm but not hot enough to scramble the eggs.

⏱ 5s

ResultSeasoned ale sauce

19 of 26

Drop the egg yolks into the warm sauce off the heat.

Egg yolks · 2 piece

⏱ 10s

ResultSeasoned ale sauce and egg yolks

20 of 26

Beat the yolks in quickly and thoroughly until the sauce is glossy and uniform.

⏱ 30s

ResultEnriched sauce

21 of 26

Tip all the grated cheddar into the pan at once.

Grated cheddar · step 3

⏱ 10s

ResultEnriched sauce and grated cheddar

22 of 26

Stir steadily until every strand of cheese has melted into a thick, velvety, cohesive sauce.

⏱ 1 min

ResultRarebit sauce

23 of 26

Spoon the rarebit sauce generously over each slice of toasted bread, spreading it right to the edges.

Rarebit sauce · step 22

⏱ 30s

ResultTopped toasts

24 of 26

Slide the tray back under the grill.

⏱ 10s

ResultTopped toasts

25 of 26

Grill until the topping is deeply golden, blistered in spots, and bubbling all the way to the edges.

220°C

⏱ 3 min

ResultGrilled rarebit toasts

26 of 26

Using oven gloves, pull the tray out of the oven.

⏱ 10s

ResultGrilled rarebit toasts

Total Time18 min

#	Product	Tool	Action
1	—	220°C	Set the oven to its grill setting and let it heat fully.⏱ 10 min
2	400 g		Grate the cheddar on the coarse side of the grater directly onto the board.⏱ 1 minResultGrated Cheddar
3	Grated Cheddarstep 2		Tip the grated cheddar into a medium bowl and set aside.⏱ 10sResultGrated cheddarused in step 21
4	4 piece		Lay the 4 thick slices of bread flat on the chopping board.⏱ 20sResultSliced white bread
5	Sliced white breadstep 4		Lay the bread slices flat on the baking tray.⏱ 10sResultSliced white bread
6	—		Slide the baking tray under the grill.⏱ 10sResultSliced white bread
7	—	220°C	Grill the bread until golden on both sides, turning once with tongs halfway through.⏱ 3 minResultToasted bread
8	—		Pull the tray out of the oven and set it aside while you make the rarebit sauce.⏱ 10sResultToasted bread
9	30 g		Add the butter to a medium saucepan.⏱ 5sResultUnsalted butter
10	—		Set the pan over a medium-low heat and let the butter melt gently without colouring.⏱ 1 minResultMelted butter
11	15 g		Add the flour to the melted butter in the pan.⏱ 5sResultUncooked roux
12	—		Stir constantly over the heat for about a minute until the mixture forms a smooth, sandy paste and smells biscuity.⏱ 1 minResultPale roux
13	120 ml		Pour the ale into the roux a little at a time, stirring vigorously between additions to keep the mixture smooth.⏱ 5sResultPale roux and welsh ale
14	—		Stir the sauce continuously over a medium-low heat until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan.⏱ 1 min 30sResultSmooth ale sauce
15	2 tbsp		Add the Worcestershire sauce to the sauce in the pan.⏱ 5sResultSmooth ale sauce and worcestershire sauce
16	1 tsp		Stir the English mustard straight into the pan.⏱ 5sResultSmooth ale sauce and worcestershire sauce and english mustard
17	1 pinch		Add a pinch of white pepper to the sauce.⏱ 5sResultSmooth ale sauce and worcestershire sauce mixture
18	—		Take the pan off the heat entirely so the sauce is warm but not hot enough to scramble the eggs.⏱ 5sResultSeasoned ale sauce
19	2 piece		Drop the egg yolks into the warm sauce off the heat.⏱ 10sResultSeasoned ale sauce and egg yolks
20	—		Beat the yolks in quickly and thoroughly until the sauce is glossy and uniform.⏱ 30sResultEnriched sauce
21	Grated cheddarstep 3		Tip all the grated cheddar into the pan at once.⏱ 10sResultEnriched sauce and grated cheddar
22	—		Stir steadily until every strand of cheese has melted into a thick, velvety, cohesive sauce.⏱ 1 minResultRarebit sauce
23	Rarebit saucestep 22		Spoon the rarebit sauce generously over each slice of toasted bread, spreading it right to the edges.⏱ 30sResultTopped toasts
24	—		Slide the tray back under the grill.⏱ 10sResultTopped toasts
25	—	220°C	Grill until the topping is deeply golden, blistered in spots, and bubbling all the way to the edges.⏱ 3 minResultGrilled rarebit toasts
26	—		Using oven gloves, pull the tray out of the oven.⏱ 10sResultGrilled rarebit toasts
Total Time			18 min

Serving

Lift each toast onto a warm dinner plate and serve immediately while the topping is still bubbling.

Nutrition

per serving

Estimated · pre-cooking · 89% ingredients covered

Nutrient	Per serving
	520kcal
	25g
	42g
	26g
	9g
	1g
	0.1g
	744mg

Ingredients0/9

Tools0/12

Recipe

Welsh Rarebit

Welsh rarebit combines mature cheddar and Welsh ale in a creamy sauce over toasted bread, finished with egg yolk richness. Serves 4.

What you’ll doYou will toast thick slices of bread under the grill, then make a cheese sauce on the hob by building a roux, adding ale, and finishing with egg yolks and grated cheddar off the heat. Once the sauce is velvety and smooth, you will spread it over the toast and return it to the grill until deeply golden and bubbling.

Serves4

Total18 min

LevelMedium

Ingredients

Mature cheddar400 g
Thick white bread4 piece
Unsalted butter30 g
Plain flour15 g
Welsh ale120 ml
Worcestershire sauce2 tbsp
English mustard1 tsp
White pepper1 pinch
Egg yolks2 piece

Tools

SpoonTongsBread knifeOvenMedium bowlWooden spoonDinner plateBaking trayGraterMedium saucepanOven gloveChopping board

Method

Set the oven to its grill setting and let it heat fully.

220°C10 minOven

Grate the cheddar on the coarse side of the grater directly onto the board.

1 minChopping board, GraterMature cheddar · 400 g

Tip the grated cheddar into a medium bowl and set aside.

Result · Grated cheddar · used in step 21

10sMedium bowlGrated Cheddar · step 2

Lay the 4 thick slices of bread flat on the chopping board.

20sChopping board, Bread knifeThick white bread · 4 piece

Lay the bread slices flat on the baking tray.

10sBaking traySliced white bread · step 4

Slide the baking tray under the grill.

10sBaking tray, Oven, Oven glove

Grill the bread until golden on both sides, turning once with tongs halfway through.

220°C3 minBaking tray, Tongs

Pull the tray out of the oven and set it aside while you make the rarebit sauce.

10sBaking tray, Oven, Oven glove

Add the butter to a medium saucepan.

5sMedium saucepanUnsalted butter · 30 g

Set the pan over a medium-low heat and let the butter melt gently without colouring.

1 minMedium saucepan

Add the flour to the melted butter in the pan.

5sMedium saucepanPlain flour · 15 g

Stir constantly over the heat for about a minute until the mixture forms a smooth, sandy paste and smells biscuity.

1 minMedium saucepan, Wooden spoon

Pour the ale into the roux a little at a time, stirring vigorously between additions to keep the mixture smooth.

5sMedium saucepanWelsh ale · 120 ml

Stir the sauce continuously over a medium-low heat until it thickens and pulls away from the sides of the pan.

1 min 30sMedium saucepan, Wooden spoon

Add the Worcestershire sauce to the sauce in the pan.

5sMedium saucepanWorcestershire sauce · 2 tbsp

Stir the English mustard straight into the pan.

5sMedium saucepanEnglish mustard · 1 tsp

Add a pinch of white pepper to the sauce.

5sMedium saucepanWhite pepper · 1 pinch

Take the pan off the heat entirely so the sauce is warm but not hot enough to scramble the eggs.

5sMedium saucepan

Drop the egg yolks into the warm sauce off the heat.

10sMedium saucepanEgg yolks · 2 piece

Beat the yolks in quickly and thoroughly until the sauce is glossy and uniform.

30sMedium saucepan, Wooden spoon

Tip all the grated cheddar into the pan at once.

10sMedium saucepanGrated cheddar · step 3

Stir steadily until every strand of cheese has melted into a thick, velvety, cohesive sauce.

1 minMedium saucepan, Wooden spoon

Spoon the rarebit sauce generously over each slice of toasted bread, spreading it right to the edges.

30sBaking tray, SpoonRarebit sauce · step 22

Slide the tray back under the grill.

10sBaking tray, Oven, Oven glove

Grill until the topping is deeply golden, blistered in spots, and bubbling all the way to the edges.

220°C3 minBaking tray

Using oven gloves, pull the tray out of the oven.

10sBaking tray, Oven, Oven glove

Lift each toast onto a warm dinner plate and serve immediately while the topping is still bubbling.

Result · Grilled rarebit toasts

20sDinner plateGrilled rarebit toasts · step 26

Printed 7 October 2026