CheeseXML 1.00
Red Leicester
Ingredients
| Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized | 6 gal |
| Annatto coloring | 10 ml |
| C101 or MA011 | 0.375 item |
| Calcium chloride (for pasteurized milk) | 1.5 tsp |
| Liquid rennet | 2.5 ml |
| Non-iodized cheese salt | 3 tbsp |
Process
| # | Steps | Plan | Facts |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Heat the milk to 29 °C Heat the vat to the culture temperature published for this make. | Heat · Milk preparation · Temperature: 29 °C | |
| 2 | Add culture Sprinkle the starter, rehydrate, then rest at temperature. | Step code · Ripening · Temperature: 29 °C · Time: 60 min · Addition: Amount: 0.375 item; Rest: 2 min | |
| 3 | Add CaCl₂ Dissolve calcium chloride in clean water and stir into pasteurized milk. | Step code · Calcium correction · Temperature: 29 °C · Addition: Amount: 1.5 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup | |
| 4 | Add rennet, then wait floc × multiplier Dilute the coagulant, stir about 1 minute, remove the stirrer, then wait until a clean break (floc time × multiplier). | Step code · Coagulation · Temperature: 29 °C · Time: 36 min · Flocculation: 12 min × 3 · Stir: Duration: 1 min · Until: Clean break · Addition: Amount: 2.5 ml; Dilute in: 0.25 cup | |
| 5 | Cut the curd Cut vertical, rest, then horizontal to the published grain size. | Cut · Cutting · Size: 8 mm · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 8 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 8 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 6 | Heal the grain Let the grains rest so the cuts seal. | Step code · Healing · Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 7 | First stir Stir gently so the grains separate and do not mat. | Stir · Stirring · Stir: Duration: 5 min | |
| 8 | Cook to 38 °C Heat the grain at the published rate, stirring so it does not mat. | Step code · Cooking · Temperature: 38 °C · Ramp: From: 29 °C; To: 38 °C · Rate: 1 °C | |
| 9 | Settle the grain Stop stirring and let the grains sink before the whey draw. | Step code · Healing · Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min | |
| 10 | Draw whey and hoop Draw whey to the grain and fill the hoop. | Drain · Draining · Flips: Turn: After: 5 min; Turn: After: 15 min | |
| 11 | Press Cheddar-family mill and press. Bandage and age from 2 months; color concentrates as whey leaves. | Press · Pressing · Pressing: Stage: Mass: 20 lb; Duration: 30 min; Stage: Mass: 40 lb; Duration: 12 h | |
| 12 | Salt / brine Salt the wheel as published — brine or dry salt. | Step code · Salting | |
| 13 | Age Cheddar-family mill and press. Bandage and age from 2 months; color concentrates as whey leaves. | Age · Aging |
Red Leicester
Hard cheese · Difficulty: 4
Batch scale
Scale factor:
Description
Wallace Red Leicester: 6 gallons, 2 tsp (10 ml) annatto, 1½ packets C101 or ⅜ tsp MA011, ½ tsp (2.5 ml) rennet. Heat to 85 °F, ripen 60 minutes. Age from ~2 months, often cloth-bound.
Recipe details
- Style
- Hard cheese
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Region
- Leicestershire
- PDO
- No
- Schema version
- 1.00
- Type
- Home recipe
- Vegetarian
- Yes
- Created
- 2026-09-09
- License
- CC-BY-4.0
- Author
- CheeseXML 1.00 reference set
- Units
- US
- Milk
- Cow milk, Pasteurized, Not homogenized
- Milk volume
- 6 gal
- Expected yield
- 6 lb
- Yield ratio
- 0.119826 ratio
- Active time
- 210 min
- Total time
- 14 h
- Scale
- For milk volume: 6 gal
Ingredients
- Whole milk, not ultra-pasteurized — 6 gal
Role: Base milk · Kind: Whole milk
- Annatto coloring — 10 ml
Role: Adjunct · Kind: Adjunct Annatto
- C101 or MA011 — 0.375 item
Role: Culture · Kind: Culture
Preparation: Time: 2 min; Instruction: Sprinkle on the milk surface and rehydrate 2 minutes before stirring in.
- Calcium chloride (for pasteurized milk) — 1.5 tsp
Role: Mineral · Kind: Calcium chloride · Optional: Yes
Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water before adding.
- Liquid rennet — 2.5 ml
Role: Coagulant · Kind: Rennet
Preparation: Dilute in: 0.25 cup; Instruction: Dilute in cool non-chlorinated water.
- Non-iodized cheese salt — 3 tbsp (Details: Salt: Dry salting; Iodized: No)
Role: Salt · Kind: Salt
Equipment
- Heavy-bottomed pot
- Dairy thermometer
- Curd knife
- Slotted ladle
- Cheese hoop / mold
- Cheese press
- Follower
- Butter muslin / cheesecloth
- Aging fridge or cave
- Cheese wax
Process
Heat the milk to 29 °C
Heat · Milk preparation
Heat the vat to the culture temperature published for this make.
Temperature: 29 °C
Add culture
Step code · Ripening
Sprinkle the starter, rehydrate, then rest at temperature.
Temperature: 29 °C · Time: 60 min · Addition: Amount: 0.375 item; Rest: 2 min
Add CaCl₂
Step code · Calcium correction
Dissolve calcium chloride in clean water and stir into pasteurized milk.
Temperature: 29 °C · Addition: Amount: 1.5 tsp; Dilute in: 0.25 cup
Add rennet, then wait floc × multiplier
Step code · Coagulation
Dilute the coagulant, stir about 1 minute, remove the stirrer, then wait until a clean break (floc time × multiplier).
Temperature: 29 °C · Time: 36 min · Flocculation: 12 min × 3 · Stir: Duration: 1 min · Until: Clean break · Addition: Amount: 2.5 ml; Dilute in: 0.25 cup
Cut the curd
Cut · Cutting
Cut vertical, rest, then horizontal to the published grain size.
Size: 8 mm · Curd cuts: Cut: Size: 8 mm; Wait: 5 min; Cut: Size: 8 mm · Settle: Duration: 5 min
Heal the grain
Step code · Healing
Let the grains rest so the cuts seal.
Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min
First stir
Stir · Stirring
Stir gently so the grains separate and do not mat.
Stir: Duration: 5 min
Cook to 38 °C
Step code · Cooking
Heat the grain at the published rate, stirring so it does not mat.
Temperature: 38 °C · Ramp: From: 29 °C; To: 38 °C · Rate: 1 °C
Settle the grain
Step code · Healing
Stop stirring and let the grains sink before the whey draw.
Time: 5 min · Settle: Duration: 5 min
Draw whey and hoop
Drain · Draining
Draw whey to the grain and fill the hoop.
Flips: Turn: After: 5 min; Turn: After: 15 min
Press
Press · Pressing
Cheddar-family mill and press. Bandage and age from 2 months; color concentrates as whey leaves.
Pressing: Stage: Mass: 20 lb; Duration: 30 min; Stage: Mass: 40 lb; Duration: 12 h
Salt / brine
Step code · Salting
Salt the wheel as published — brine or dry salt.
Age
Age · Aging
Cheddar-family mill and press. Bandage and age from 2 months; color concentrates as whey leaves.
Aging
Duration: 90 d; Stage: Name: Cloth-bound Leicester; Duration: 90 d; Temperature: 12 °C; Humidity: 85 %
Storage
Temperature: 8 °C; Shelf life: 90 d
Allergens
Allergen: Milk
Safety
Use milk that is not ultra-pasteurized. Pasteurize unknown raw milk. Sanitize equipment.
Source
Title: Red Leicester Cheese Making Recipe; Creator: Jim Wallace / New England Cheesemaking Supply; Year: 2018; URL: https://cheesemaking.com/products/red-leicester-cheese-making-recipe