Food Destinations of Wales - Welsh Rarebit Recipe (2024)

FAQs

Which ingredient is not typically used in Welsh rarebit? ›

What meat is in Welsh rarebit? Despite its alternative name being Welsh Rabbit,Welsh rarebit does not contain rabbit.

Cheese on toast is just that, cheese melted on top of bread. A grilled cheese is cheese melted between 2 slices of bread cooked in a pan. Welsh rarebit is a toasted slice of bread topped with a cheese and beer sauce and broiled/grilled until the top is bubbly.

The type of beer used in Welsh rarebit can be a contentious subject; some prefer the bold flavor of a porter, while some like the more subtle bitterness of a brown ale. Whichever you use, make sure that it is a beer you love to drink, and serve a pint alongside your rarebit and tomatoes.

If you don't like beer, you can replace it with milk; it will still taste great! This traditional Welsh rarebit recipe is comfort food at its best.

The origins of the name are unknown, though the earliest recorded use is 1725 as "Welsh rabbit" (possibly ironic or jocular as the dish contains no rabbit); the earliest documented use of "Welsh rarebit" is in 1781. Variants include English rabbit, Scotch rabbit, buck rabbit, golden buck, and blushing bunny.

A popular legend suggests that the meat-based name for this meatless dish stems from Welsh peasants for whom cheese was a substitute for the meat they could not afford. Whatever its origins, the dish is today a staple of British fare and a common pub food, often paired with a pint of beer or ale.

In the UK the 'rarebit' is pronounced similar to the word 'rabbit' with a hard 't' at the end and the emphasis on the first syllable. In the USA the word is pronounced more like the word 'rare' with 'bit' on the end but also with slightly more emphasis on the first syllable.

Cawl. Dating back to the 14th century, cawl, also known as 'lobscows' in areas of North Wales, is a hearty stew of lamb and seasonal vegetables that is considered to be the national dish of Wales. Usually accompanied by slabs of fresh bread, it's the perfect meal to warm up during a frosty Welsh winter.

SKIM MILK, CHEDDAR CHEESE (CULTURED MILK, SALT, ENZYMES, ANNATTO COLOR), WATER, CREAM, BLEACHED WHEAT FLOUR, SOYBEAN OIL, 2% OR LESS OF WORCESTERSHIRE SAUCE (VINEGAR, MOLASSES, WATER, TAMARIND, NATURAL FLAVOR, SUGAR, SALT, CARAMEL COLOR, ONION, GARLIC), MODIFIED CORNSTARCH, SALT, SPICES, POTASSIUM CHLORIDE, PAPRIKA, ...

This is not the traditional recipe for bara brith, meaning 'speckled bread' as the original recipe was based on a yeasted bread. However this version which is widely served, makes a beautifully moist cake as the dried fruit are soaked overnight in tea.

What is an elegant rarebit? ›

An indulgent twist on the more traditional Welsh Rarebit. This savoury treat is expertly made by combining our West Country Farmhouse Cheddar with Worcestershire sauce, mustard, a whole egg and a drop of Fortnum's Ale with dry-cured bacon. A favourite in our restaurants.

Put the cheese, mustard, Worcester sauce and Tabasco sauce in and stir until melted. Beat in the egg yolks and flour and gently cook for a further 2 minutes. Evenly spoon over the bread and bacon then spoon the cheese mix all over and bake for 5 minutes until golden and bubbly.

"Le Welsh" (Welsh rarebit or rabbit) is a dish often found on the menus of brasseries in the North, especially near the coast. This old substitute dish originated in Wales and, according to the "legend", came to the Opal Coast during the 1st World War.

A proper Welsh rarebit, in my books, must be made by sizzling together butter and flour, and then slowly adding beer until a thick, gloopy sauce forms. Then handfuls of mature cheddar are added, and the whole thing is spiked with hot mustard and a good splash of Worcestershire sauce.

Welsh rarebit sauce typically includes butter, milk, beer, Worcestershire sauce, dry mustard, ground black pepper, all-purpose flour, salt, and Cheddar cheese.

Indeed, Wales has a long-standing tradition for producing delicious, high-quality cheeses. The earliest varieties resembled the now famous Caerphilly, but they were made from goat and sheep's milks and immersed in brine. Later, in the 17th and 18th centuries, cow's milk became the cheese-making ingredient of choice.

As cattle were the basis of Celtic wealth, butter and cheese were generally made from cows' milk. The Celts were amongst the earliest producers of butter in Britain, and for hundreds of years after the Romans left the country, butter was the primary cooking medium and basis for sauces.