What type of beer is best for Welsh rarebit?

The best type of beer to use for Welsh rarebit is a matter of personal preference—what beer you have on hand. Some people like to use a dark beer, like a porter with a more robust flavor, others opt for a brown ale or a lighter ale.

What do you eat Welsh rarebit with?

Typically, Welsh rarebit is eaten for lunch or as a snack. Often it is served on its own. Other popular pairings include a crisp, leafy salad or a bowl of soup.

Is Welsh rarebit just posh cheese on toast?

Cheese on toast is a popular British lunch or snack. Grated or sliced cheese broiled on toast is simple to make and comforting to eat. It’s a dish similar to our grilled cheese sandwich—but with less bread. Welsh rarebit is not "posh" but it is a more elaborate dish, with other ingredients being added to the cheese so the topping puffs up when it cooks.

Welsh Rarebit (With Step-by-Step Images)

Servings:

5

Welsh rarebit is a favorite lunch, snack, or supper in the British Isles—and despite its name, it’s not a Welsh dish. Another disclaimer, the dish is also known as Welsh rabbit, but there’s no meat in it. Welsh rarebit is a cozy, enriched cheese on toast made with cheddar, beer, and mustard—our version adds Worcestershire sauce to amp up the flavor, and egg yolks for richness and loft. The cheesy mixture is spread on sliced bread that has been toasted on one side under the broiler, then broiled until golden brown. Welsh rarebit is best enjoyed hot, perhaps with a mug of ale—or a cup of tea—and it’s one of our favorite easy meals for a cold or rainy day.

What Is Welsh Rarebit?

Welsh rarebit is a time-honored dish whose origins are shrouded in mystery and open to contention. Was it originally called Welsh rarebit or Welsh rabbit? According to The Diner’s Dictionary, the first mention of the dish in print was in 1725, and it was called Welsh rabbit. The move to rarebit is thought to be to avoid confusion about there being rabbit in the dish.

Even the Welsh part of the dish’s name is confusing; in the 17th and 18th centuries "Welsh" was used to describe an inferior item or substitute for the real thing, hence a Welsh rabbit contained no rabbit, only cheese.

Until the end of the 19th century, Welsh rarebit was considered a savory, a now unknown type of dish served as a piquant bite after the entrees and before the desserts at formal dinners. Angels on Horseback was another popular savory. More recently, the dish has become a popular lunch, both to make at home or to order in a cafe in the U.K.

Variations

While the classic rarebit is all about the cheese, our recipe tops each toast with slices of roasted tomato, which cut the fat of the cheese with their concentrated acidity and sweetness.
Some versions swap the beer for milk.
Putting an egg on top makes it a buck rarebit.

There are also less well-known variations:

English rarebit: substituting red wine for the beer.
Scotch or Scottish rarebit: using Scottish cheese in place of cheddar.
Yorkshire rarebit: topped with bacon and a poached egg.

Ingredients

1 pound sharp cheddar cheese, grated (5 cups)
2 large egg yolks
¼ cup beer
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Pinch of cayenne pepper
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
5 slices white bread
5 slices beefsteak tomato
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Directions

Preheat broiler and combine ingredients.

Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, then a wire rack. In a medium bowl, stir together cheese, egg yolks, beer, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper. Season with salt and pepper.

Brie Goldman
Toast bread on one side:

Place bread on wire rack, and place under broiler until lightly toasted on one side. Remove from broiler, and invert.

Brie Goldman
Divide cheese mixture between toast:

Divide cheese mixture evenly between the bread, pressing gently to adhere.

Brie Goldman
Drizzle tomato with oil:

Place tomato slices on the rack next to bread. Drizzle tomatoes with oil, and season with salt and pepper.

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Broil:

Return to broiler, and cook until cheese is bubbling and golden brown, about 2 minutes.

Brie Goldman
Top with tomato and serve:

Place a slice of tomato on top of each serving; serve immediately.

Brie Goldman

Frequently Asked Questions

What type of beer is best for Welsh rarebit?

The best type of beer to use for Welsh rarebit is a matter of personal preference—what beer you have on hand. Some people like to use a dark beer, like a porter with a more robust flavor, others opt for a brown ale or a lighter ale.
What do you eat Welsh rarebit with?

Typically, Welsh rarebit is eaten for lunch or as a snack. Often it is served on its own. Other popular pairings include a crisp, leafy salad or a bowl of soup.
Is Welsh rarebit just posh cheese on toast?

Cheese on toast is a popular British lunch or snack. Grated or sliced cheese broiled on toast is simple to make and comforting to eat. It’s a dish similar to our grilled cheese sandwich—but with less bread. Welsh rarebit is not "posh" but it is a more elaborate dish, with other ingredients being added to the cheese so the topping puffs up when it cooks.