Bushra Griffith
Red Leicester cheese, also known as Leicestershire cheese, is an English cheese that is similar to Cheddar but has a crumbly texture and a nuttier taste. It is typically aged for 6 to 12 months and has a reddish-orange rind with a powdery mould. The cheese gets its distinct colour from the addition of annatto extract, a natural colourant derived from the seeds of the Achiote tree, during the manufacturing process. The process of making Red Leicester cheese involves adding annatto to milk, heating it, and then allowing the curds to settle and be cooked. The dry curds are then transferred to a drain pan and allowed to sit in the whey before being drained and wrapped into a consolidated block. The cheese is then aged, either through vacuum packing or the traditional method of maturing in cloth.
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What You'll Learn
Red Leicester is aged for 4 to 12 months
Red Leicester cheese is aged anywhere from four to twelve months. "Young" Leicesters, at the beginning of that range, will be very mild. It is usually after six months that a Leicester begins to develop enough of a tang to be classified as "old". The modern industrial method for ageing is with vacuum packing. Smaller "farmhouse" makers usually still use the traditional way of maturing it in cloth, for a better flavour development. The cheese was originally made on farms in Leicestershire, England, with surplus milk.
The cheese is made in a well-established cave, where it is left to age and develop a reddish-orange rind with a powdery mould on it. The mould will eventually dry up and be removed with the cloth, revealing a clean cheese rind. The cheese is shown at 2 weeks and then again at 4+ weeks, by which time it will have developed a thick mould surface.
The process of making Red Leicester involves adding annatto, a natural colourant derived from the seeds of the Achiote tree, to the milk. This gives the cheese its distinctive red or orange hue. The colour is not naturally occurring in milk but is added to enhance its appearance. The cheese is then heated, and the curds are allowed to settle under the whey. The dry curds are transferred to a drain pan/colander lined with butter muslin and allowed to sit in the whey for 10-15 minutes. The curd is then drained and wrapped into a consolidated block for its final rest.
During the ageing process, the moisture levels in the cheese decrease, and the flavour becomes stronger. The minimum FDM (fat in dry matter) listed for Red Leicester is generally 48%. The fat content of the cheese when fresh is generally 33 to 34%.
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The cheese gets its distinct red/orange colour from annatto
The distinct red/orange colour of Red Leicester cheese comes from the addition of annatto, a natural colourant derived from the seeds of the Achiote tree (Bixa Orellana). This tree is native to South America and the Caribbean, and its seeds have been used for centuries to dye textiles, cosmetics, and even Aztec paintings. The use of annatto in cheese-making began in the 18th century when it was imported from the Americas to England, where it replaced locally sourced colourants such as carrot juice, turmeric, marigold petals, and saffron. Annatto produces a more vibrant colour without impacting the texture or flavour of the cheese.
To make Red Leicester cheese, 2 teaspoons (10ml) of annatto cheese colour are added to milk and mixed well until blended. Initially, the annatto may appear light, but it will gradually bind to the fat and solids in the milk, and its colour will darken as the whey is released. After pressing, the cheese will take on a full red/orange colour.
The process of making Red Leicester cheese involves allowing the curds to settle under the whey, which is then removed down to about 1" above the curd mass. The dry curds are transferred to a drain pan/colander lined with butter muslin and allowed to sit in the whey for 10-15 minutes. The curd mass is then gently stirred to consolidate it with minimal spaces between the curds. After a brief rest, the curd is drained and wrapped tightly in cloth, forming a consolidated block for its final rest.
Red Leicester cheese has a reddish-orange rind with a powdery mould on it and is typically aged for 6 to 12 months. The cheese is named after the city of Leicester or the ceremonial county of Leicestershire, where it was originally made on farms with surplus milk. It has a crumbly texture and a slightly sweet, mellow flavour that becomes stronger as the cheese matures.
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It is made from cow's milk
Red Leicester cheese is made from cow's milk. It is a hard cheese that is similar to Cheddar but has a milder, slightly nutty, and tangier flavour. It is also moister and crumbly in texture. The cheese is aged anywhere from four to nine months, with "young" Leicesters being very mild, while those aged for six months or more develop a stronger tang.
The process of making Red Leicester cheese involves adding annatto, a natural colourant derived from the seeds of the Achiote tree, to the milk. This gives the cheese its distinctive red or orange hue. The annatto is mixed into the milk until it is fully blended. The milk is then heated slowly to 85°F, and the curds are allowed to settle under the whey. The curds are then cooked and briefly settled, and the whey is removed, leaving about 1" above the curd mass.
The dry curds are transferred to a drain pan or colander lined with butter muslin and allowed to sit in the whey for 10-15 minutes. Gentle stirring helps the curd mass consolidate with minimal spaces. After this brief rest, the curd is drained, but it needs to remain warm to continue the conversion of lactose to lactic acid. The remaining whey is drained, and the cloth is pulled tight, wrapping the cheese into a consolidated block for its final rest.
The cheese is then salted, with the salt added in 2-3 doses and mixed well. The curds are then transferred to a cloth-lined cheese mold and placed into a cheese press. The pressing starts very light and slowly increases to a moderate level. The cheese is then aged, either through the modern industrial method of vacuum packing or the traditional way of maturing it in cloth, which allows for better flavour development.
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It is named after the city of Leicester
Red Leicester cheese is named after the city of Leicester, or the ceremonial county it is located in, Leicestershire. The cheese was originally made on farms in Leicestershire, England, with surplus milk, once all the Stilton desired was made.
The cheese was originally coloured with carrot or beetroot juice. It used to be called Leicestershire Cheese but came to be called Red Leicester to distinguish it from "White Leicester", which was made to a national wartime recipe in the 1940s due to rationing.
The colouring of the pressed cheese was essential, and this was done using a vegetable rennet obtained from Lady's Bedstraw. The yellow flowers, stalks, and leaves provided the rennet, while the roots, when boiled, provided a red dye.
Today, the cheese is typically coloured orange by the addition of annatto extract during manufacture. Annatto is a natural colourant derived from the seeds of the Achiote tree (Bixa Orellana), which is native to South America and the Caribbean.
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It is similar to cheddar but moister and crumbles more easily
Red Leicester cheese is similar to cheddar but has a crumbly texture and is moister. It is a hard cheese that is normally coloured with annatto, a natural colourant derived from the seeds of the Achiote tree (Bixa Orellana), which is native to South America and the Caribbean. The colour is not naturally occurring in milk but is added to enhance its appearance. The cheese-making process begins by adding 2 teaspoons of annatto cheese colour to about half a cup of milk, stirring it well, and then adding it to the rest of the milk in the pot. This will initially seem light but will become darker as the whey is released, and by the time the cheese is pressed, it should be a full red/orange.
The curds are cooked and settled briefly, and the whey is removed down to about 1" above the curd mass. The curds are then transferred to a drain pan/colander lined with butter muslin and allowed to sit in the whey for 10-15 minutes. The curd mass is then consolidated with minimal spaces between them by gentle stirring. After this brief rest, the curd is ready to be drained, but it needs to remain warm to continue the conversion of lactose to lactic acid. The remaining whey is drained, and the cheese is wrapped into a consolidated block for its final rest.
The moisture levels in Red Leicester cheese decrease as it ages, and the minimum FDM (fat in dry matter) listed for this cheese is generally 48%. "Young" Leicesters, aged between four to six months, are very mild, while those aged six months or more develop a tang and are classified as "old". The cheese has a slightly nutty taste, with a sweet aftertaste and a creamy texture.
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Frequently asked questions
Red Leicester is an English cheese similar to Cheddar but with a crumbly texture and a slightly sweet, nutty taste. It is named after the city of Leicester, or the ceremonial county it is located in, Leicestershire.
Red Leicester is made from cow's milk. The process involves adding annatto cheese colour to the milk, heating it, and then allowing the curds to settle under the whey. The dry curds are then transferred to a drain pan/colander lined with butter muslin and allowed to sit in the whey for 10-15 minutes. After this, the curd is drained and wrapped into a consolidated block for its final rest.
Annatto is a natural colourant derived from the seeds of the Achiote tree, native to South America and the Caribbean. It has been used for centuries to dye textiles, cosmetics, and even Aztec paintings.
Red Leicester is typically aged for 6 to 12 months, with "young" Leicesters being very mild and those aged for 6 months or more developing a stronger tang.
