The Ultimate Welsh Rarebit is an elevated take on classic cheese on toast. The key difference is melting the cheese with ale before piling it onto toast and grilling — pure comfort food with extra depth.
Commissioned Post
Welcome to this Ultimate Welsh Rarebit recipe. It transforms a midweek “what shall I make? — let’s just have cheese on toast” into a dish the family will actually look forward to. It’s quick to prepare, indulgently gooey, and worth the extra saucepan to achieve that silky melted topping.
The magic comes from using a mature cheddar melted with butter, a touch of Dijon, Worcestershire sauce and ale. The beer loosens the cheese for a smooth sauce and adds a subtle, malty note that lifts the whole dish.
Once the cheese mixture is velvety, spread it thickly over toasted sourdough and finish under the grill until it’s bubbling and golden.
For those curious about lactose: many people with lactose sensitivity tolerate small amounts of well-aged hard cheeses, because ageing breaks down much of the lactose. Individual tolerance varies, so taste cautiously if you’re sensitive. In my case I could manage a small nibble while a fellow diner finished the plate and the leftover ale.
The Ultimate Welsh Rarebit
For this version I used Longhorn IPA from Purity Brewing. The beer contributes flavour and a lighter texture to the cheese topping — any reasonably flavorful ale or bitter will work well. Choose a strong, mature cheddar for best melting and flavour results, and serve with extra ale on the side if you like.
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30g
butter -
1
teaspoon
Dijon mustard -
3
tablespoons
ale -
1
teaspoon
Worcester sauce -
175g
strong mature cheddar, grated -
4
slices
bread of your choice
-
Preheat the grill to medium. Toast both sides of the bread until lightly golden.
-
In a small saucepan, gently heat the butter, Dijon mustard, ale and Worcestershire sauce, stirring to combine.
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Reduce the heat to low, add the grated cheese and stir until it melts to a smooth, glossy sauce.
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Remove from the heat and let it cool very slightly so it remains spreadable but not runny.
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Spread the cheese mixture evenly across the toasted slices, pushing it to the edges for full coverage.
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Place under the grill until the topping is golden and bubbling. Serve immediately, ideally with the remaining ale.
Many thanks to Expedia for commissioning this recipe and supporting regional food and drink producers. As always, any opinions and leftovers are my own.