Gloucester Cheese and Ale

Name: Gloucester Cheese and Ale
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: West Country
Ingredients: 4 thick slices crusty white farmhouse bread; 300 g double gloucester cheese; 200 ml traditional english bitter; 25 g Unsalted butter; 25 g Plain flour; 1.5 tsp english mustard; 1 tbsp vegetarian worcestershire sauce; 1 pinch Cayenne pepper; 0.25 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Rich Double Gloucester cheese melted with traditional bitter and fiery English mustard, generously poured over ale-soaked farmhouse toast.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· South West England

Prep: 10 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 25 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 485 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

4 thick slices crusty white farmhouse bread — cut about 2 cm thick
300 g double gloucester cheese — coarsely grated
200 ml traditional english bitter — divided into soaking and sauce portions
25 g Unsalted butter — cubed
25 g Plain flour — sifted
1½ tsp english mustard — prepared paste
1 tbsp vegetarian worcestershire sauce — for savoury depth
1 pinch Cayenne pepper — adjust to taste
¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper — to finish

Equipment

•Grill
•Heavy-based saucepan
•Whisk
•Box grater
•Shallow baking dish

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 485 kcal
fat: 27 g
carbs: 36 g
fibre: 2.5 g
protein: 23 g
calories: 485 kcal

Instructions

1
Preheat your oven grill to high.
2
Toast the bread slices under the grill until golden brown on both sides.
3
Place the toasted bread into an ovenproof baking dish in a single layer.
4
Drizzle 80 ml of the ale evenly across the warm slices of toast.
5
Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium-low heat on the hob.
6
Stir in the plain flour and cook for one minute until foaming.
7
Gradually whisk in the remaining 120 ml of ale until smooth.
8
Stir in the grated cheese, mustard, Worcestershire sauce, and cayenne pepper.
9
Cook gently over low heat until the cheese melts into a smooth, glossy sauce.
10
Pour the molten cheese sauce generously over the ale-soaked toast.
11
Grill for three to five minutes until bubbling vigorously and nicely browned on top.
12
Dust with freshly ground black pepper and serve immediately.

Chef's tips

Grate the cheese finely to ensure it melts smoothly without separating. Keep the hob heat low when melting the cheese to prevent the sauce from turning greasy or stringy. Use a good, malty traditional English bitter or brown ale for authentic pub flavour.

Ingredient substitutions

Double Gloucester cheese → Single Gloucester or mature Cheddar cheese
traditional English bitter → dark stout or non-alcoholic malt ale
English mustard → wholegrain or Dijon mustard

Storage

This dish is best eaten fresh from the grill, though leftover cheese sauce keeps chilled in an airtight container for up to two days.

Reheating

Reheat the cheese sauce gently in a saucepan over low heat before pouring over freshly toasted, ale-soaked bread.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Boiling the sauce after adding cheese, which causes the fat to split.
•Using thin, pre-sliced sandwich bread that turns soggy under the ale.
•Pouring cold ale onto cold toast instead of soaking warm bread.

Serving suggestions

Serve immediately with sweet pickled onions and crisp watercress.Pair with a pint of traditional Gloucestershire ale or dry perry.Accompany with a sharp green salad dressed with cider vinegar.