Uploaded March 2021 | Updated September 2026, 12 hours ago
Leaving aside the bizarre etymology of the dish’s name, it is a bold-flavored cheese sauce, thicker than fondue, generally served over a thick, hearty slice of toast. We garnish ours with sauteed sliced mushrooms, but I have never seen that done before.
This dish is best when it is first made. Leftovers do not generally come back well. Leftover Welsh rarebit might make a decent base for a cheese soup, say if there were broccoli or cauliflower to use up also.
Garnish the final dish with something. We really enjoyed the mushrooms. Green onion or chopped herbs such as parsley, or even celery leaves, would help to lighten the aromas and add some color contrast.
Makes enough for 2-4 people, roughly 2 cups.
Equipment:
• medium saucepan or large skillet
• second skillet for toast and mushroom slices
Ingredients:
6 oz grated cheddar cheese 3/8 lb; 1 1/2 cup
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter plus extra for toast and mushrooms
2 Tbsp AP flour
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
1/2 cup porter beer
to taste Tabasco hot sauce or similar
1⁄4 lb mushrooms sliced for nice cross-section
2-4 slices bread 1” or so thick
Procedure:
1. In the saucepan or skillet, make a roux with the butter and flour.
2. In the other skillet, melt some extra butter and toast the bread and mushroom slices in it. They will get done at about the same time so as weird as it seems they can cook together.
3. Allow the roux to foam but not to color.
4. Add the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and porter.
5. Stir well to combine and make a thick gravy.
6. Add the cream and the cheese and stir until the cheese melts and mixes evenly into the sauce.
7. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce.
8. Arrange a slice of buttery, pan-toasted bread on each plate.
9. Top each with a generous amount of Welsh rarebit.
10. Garnish each slice with some of the fried mushrooms, and perhaps a little chopped herb.
11. Enjoy immediately, with more beer.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
Leaving aside the bizarre etymology of the dish’s name, it is a bold-flavored cheese sauce, thicker than fondue, generally served over a thick, hearty slice of toast. We garnish ours with sauteed sliced mushrooms, but I have never seen that done before.
This dish is best when it is first made. Leftovers do not generally come back well. Leftover Welsh rarebit might make a decent base for a cheese soup, say if there were broccoli or cauliflower to use up also.
Garnish the final dish with something. We really enjoyed the mushrooms. Green onion or chopped herbs such as parsley, or even celery leaves, would help to lighten the aromas and add some color contrast.
Makes enough for 2-4 people, roughly 2 cups.
Equipment:
• medium saucepan or large skillet
• second skillet for toast and mushroom slices
Ingredients:
6 oz grated cheddar cheese 3/8 lb; 1 1/2 cup
3/4 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp butter plus extra for toast and mushrooms
2 Tbsp AP flour
1 tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper freshly ground
1/2 cup porter beer
to taste Tabasco hot sauce or similar
1⁄4 lb mushrooms sliced for nice cross-section
2-4 slices bread 1” or so thick
Procedure:
1. In the saucepan or skillet, make a roux with the butter and flour.
2. In the other skillet, melt some extra butter and toast the bread and mushroom slices in it. They will get done at about the same time so as weird as it seems they can cook together.
3. Allow the roux to foam but not to color.
4. Add the mustard, Worcestershire sauce and porter.
5. Stir well to combine and make a thick gravy.
6. Add the cream and the cheese and stir until the cheese melts and mixes evenly into the sauce.
7. Season with salt, pepper and hot sauce.
8. Arrange a slice of buttery, pan-toasted bread on each plate.
9. Top each with a generous amount of Welsh rarebit.
10. Garnish each slice with some of the fried mushrooms, and perhaps a little chopped herb.
11. Enjoy immediately, with more beer.
Music: bensound.com/royalty-free-music
