Features of the manufacture of Red Windsor, energy value and chemical composition. Benefits and harms when consumed, use in cooking.
Windsor Red or Windsor Red is an English semi-hard cheese from the large Cheddar family, made from pasteurized cow's milk. Texture - crumbly, firm, dense; the color varies due to the amount of additives - it can be red with light veins, as well as white with red or pink; taste - creamy, soft, sweetish; the smell is unexpressed, cheesy with hints of grapes. The natural brown or burgundy crust is covered with wax. It is produced in the form of cylinders with a diameter of 20-25 cm and weighing up to 2.5 kg.
How is Red Windsor cheese made?
For the preparation of this variety, a recipe for the most famous cheese in England - Cheddar is used. The most commonly made vegetarian option is dietary rennet.
For curdling, products of fungal fermentation are introduced
| Enzyme name | Fungal culture |
| Milaza | Rhizomucor miehei |
| Fromaz | Mucor miehei |
| Suparen | Cryphonectria parasitica |
| Meito | Meito microbial rennet |
| Chymosin | Mukor miehei, Rhizomucor meihei or Rhizomucor pusillus |
| Mucorpepsin | Mucorpepsin |
In most cases, chymosin and mucopepsin are preferred. In private cheese factories, trying to recreate the recipe used by the first manufacturers, fig juice or a strong decoction of bedstraw is used to sour milk.
Red Windsor cheese is made like Cheddar, but additional processes are introduced:
- The original pasteurized raw material is heated in a water bath to 30 ° C, dry mesophilic starter is added (allowing it to spread over the surface), calcium chloride is added, annatto dye and an enzyme for curdling are added. If the vegetarian option is chosen, fermented fungal strains are used.
- Unlike the main variety, after the formation of the calcium, the contents of the pan are allowed to "rest" so that the dense curd layer settles.
- After cutting the curd, the vat is slowly heated (by 1 degree per minute) to 40 ° C, constantly stirring the slicing, removed from the heat and left for another 30 minutes, without ceasing to shake from the bottom up.
- The compacted cheese mass is scooped out with a slotted spoon, 3/4 of the whey is removed, everything is again transferred to the vat and heated for another 1 hour.
- Use a colander or fine sieve to remove the whey. Pieces of cottage cheese are poured with red wine - more often port, or elderberry liqueur.
- After the future cheese is soaked in wine, it is mixed with salt and pressed into molds with fine holes covered with gauze.
- Pressing begins with a load of 4.5 kg / 1 kg. 4 hours after 2 coups, the heads are wrapped in a cheese cloth and the weight of the oppression is first increased to 12 kg, leaving for 12 hours, and then up to 22 kg. The load is kept for a day, turned over 1-2 times.
To make Red Windsor as aged cheeses, the cheesecloth is wrapped around the head and additional pressing is carried out. The method is called banding. When the taste of the young cheese satisfies, red wax is applied to the surface. The crust is dried, determining the readiness to the touch, and only then is it treated with a molten viscous mass.
Aging conditions: temperature - 12-16 ° C, humidity - 90-93%. Within 30 days, turn it over 1-2 times a day. The minimum time before tasting is 2 months, the maximum is 1.5-2 years.
Composition and calorie content of Red Windsor cheese
If the product is vegetarian, the fat content on dry matter is 30%. When an enzyme of animal origin is used for fermenting milk, this parameter rises to 40-48%.
The calorie content of Red Windsor cheese is 401 kcal per 100 g, of which:
- Proteins - 24.4 g;
- Fat - 33.7 g;
- Carbohydrates - 0 g.
Vitamins per 100 g:
- Retinol - 335 mcg;
- Carotene - 235 mcg;
- Vitamin D - 0.3 mcg;
- Vitamin E - 0.59 mg;
- Thiamine - 0.03 mg;
- Riboflavin - 0.37 mg;
- Niacin - 0.1 mg;
- Vitamin B6 - 0, 10 mg;
- Vitamin B12 - 1.4 mcg;
- Folate - 32 mcg;
- Biotin - 2.6 mcg.
Minerals per 100 g:
- Sodium - 690 mg;
- Potassium - 87 mg;
- Calcium - 690 mg;
- Magnesium - 31 mg;
- Phosphorus - 450 mg;
- Iron - 0, 20 mg;
- Copper - 0.03 mg;
- Zinc - 2.1 mg;
- Chlorine - 1030 mg;
- Selenium - 11 mcg;
- Iodine - 46 mcg.
Fats in Red Windsor cheese per 100 g:
- Saturated fatty acids - 21, 10 g;
- Polyunsaturated fatty acids - 1, 00 g;
- Cholesterol 100 mg
When the variety is consumed, the body replenishes the supply of the essential amino acid tryptophan (5.7 mg / 100 g). Without it, it is impossible to synthesize your own protein and the hormone of happiness - serotonin. The lack of this substance causes the development of depression and insomnia, an increase in the pain threshold, an increase in the activity of pathogenic microorganisms that are in the small intestine.
The reserve of pantothenic acid is also replenished (0.41 mg / 100 g). Although this amino acid is non-essential - the body produces it on its own, but often the reproduction is reduced. In this case, the work of the adrenal glands is disrupted, the absorption of nutrients decreases, and age-related changes develop rapidly.
Since the variety is often made without rennet, it can be introduced not only in dietary diets, but also in vegetarian ones. It is most advisable to add such an addition to the daily menu at the first stage of getting used to an unusual diet. Spicy bright taste drowns out nostalgia for meat and sausages, helps to adapt to a new lifestyle.
Health benefits of Red Windsor cheese
This variety has not only a bright berry taste, but also pleases the eye with its appearance. Positive emotions improve mood, and consumption increases the production of hormones of joy - endorphins and serotonin, normalizes the nervous system, improves mood, soothes, improves sleep, helps to cope with emotional instability.
Benefits of Red Windsor cheese:
- Stimulates receptors in the mouth, stimulates appetite.
- Increases the production of digestive enzymes, improves the absorption of vitamins and minerals, and prevents the development of putrefactive processes in the intestines.
- Increases bone strength due to calcium in the composition. Hair breaks less, nails stop exfoliating, the skin becomes denser and more elastic.
- The speed of metabolic processes is accelerating at all levels.
- Blood pressure is stabilized, acid-base and water-electrolyte balance is normalized, no loss of precious moisture occurs.
- Cholesterol deposits that accumulate in the lumen of blood vessels dissolve.
- Thanks to the flavoring additive - grape wine - the antioxidant properties are increased. Wastes and toxins are quickly removed from the body, reducing the risk of bowel cancer.
It is useful to introduce Red Windsor into the diet during a therapeutic course - with chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Such nutrition speeds up recovery and helps to cope with the side effects of such therapeutic measures.
The digestibility of nutrients increases if this variety is combined with green salads or fruits. A 100 g serving provides 20% of the daily energy reserve, 55% of fat required for normal functioning of the body, and 43% of protein, which prevents muscle breakdown.
Contraindications and harm of Red Windsor cheese
Absolute contraindications for acquaintance with a new taste - allergy to ingredients in the composition: cow's milk, mold or bacterial cultures, additives to improve taste - alcohol of various types. Despite the interesting taste and beneficial effect on the body, the introduction of this variety into the diet should be limited.
This fermented milk product contains a large amount of saturated fats, which stimulate the formation of a fat layer. With an inactive lifestyle and a daily caloric intake of 2000 kcal, regular consumption (5-6 times a week within a month) of a piece weighing 80 g in any form increases the weight by 2-3 kg. It is useful for people suffering from dystrophy or recovering from severe illness. But those who are prone to obesity or follow the figure should refuse such an addition to the daily menu or feast on a delicious product only on special days.
It is possible to minimize the harm from Red Windsor cheese, but for this it should be washed down with wine. However, remember that daily alcohol intake is no less harmful than consuming a high-calorie product.
It is necessary to avoid overeating with impaired urination, high acidity, biliary dyskinesia, chronic pancreatitis and a tendency to high blood pressure. Too much salt. Abuse can provoke an attack of gout, the formation of edema.
Read more about the dangers of Bleu de Bresse cheese
Red Windsor Cheese Recipes
This variety is the perfect addition to a cheese platter. It is served with port or other red wines, white grapes, apples and herbs. It is a pity to use such an expensive product for cooking various dishes, but if there is a possibility, you should not refuse. Salads and pastries to which it is added become table decorations.
Red Windsor Cheese Recipes:
- Christmas buns … In a dry bowl, mix 250 g of premium wheat flour, 1 tsp each. baking powder and dry mustard, 85 g of frozen butter, cut into small pieces, 85 g of grated red cheese. Drive in an egg, pour in so much milk to get a soft dough that does not stick to your hands. Preheat oven to 200 ° C. There is no need to add salt to the dough - Red Windsor is quite salty. Roll out the dough into one layer, cut into triangles or rectangles. The baking sheet is covered with parchment, after having greased it with oil. Spread out the baking blanks, grease with a beaten egg with finely grated cheese and bake until the sides of the buns turn golden and a variegated crust appears on the surface. Served with butter.
- Cheese pancakes … If using pancake flour, baking powder is not needed. Plain wheat flour, before kneading the dough, is combined with 1 tsp. baking powder. If baking soda is used, it is added in the same amount, but already in the dough and previously extinguished with balsamic vinegar. Beat 2 eggs, add 2 cups of milk, mix. Add flour, 150 g of grated Red Windsor, 2-3 tbsp. l. finely chopped dill, knead a batter that resembles kefir in consistency. Refined sunflower oil is heated in a frying pan, the excess is removed, a little dough is poured out and pancakes are fried on both sides. The baked goods turn out to be very beautiful - with a pink marble pattern on the surface.
- Burger with Red Windsor … The number of products is calculated for 2 servings. Beef (250 g), tenderloin, twisted through a meat grinder, mixed with a small amount of butter, 1 tbsp. l. ketchup (no additives), salt and pepper. The minced meat is ground again, then tamped into culinary rings and grilled until tender. Cut 2 buns with sesame seeds in half and also fry from the inside, at the same time with bacon - with 2 small pieces. Mix the sauce: grate 2 pickled cucumbers, a third of the white onion, add 1/2 tbsp. l. ketchup and the same amount of Tabasco, Worcestershire and HP sauces, pour in brandy, 1, 5 tsp. Bring to a homogeneous consistency. Fold in the shape of a boat 3 leaves of iceberg lettuce, on it circles of half a tomato and rings of 1/2 red onion. Repeat the layout for the second burger. Cover the cutlet with a not very thick slice of Red Windsor, put the cutlet on the grill again and wait for the cheese to melt. The burger is folded as follows: half a bun, a boat with vegetables, 1 tsp. mayonnaise, cheese cutlet and the second half of a bun.
- Original salad … The thin-skinned lemon is washed, cut into small slices, pitted, sprinkled with sugar and left until it lets out the juice. Pour over with salad yogurt, mix with grated cheese and a quarter cup of ground walnuts. Spices to taste. If you use lemon fillets (slices without peels), the bitter taste of the dish will disappear.
- Green salad … Chicken eggs are cut across the entire width, 6 pieces - they should be boiled in a "bag" so that the yolk is not hard and crumbly, but does not spread, and 3 tomatoes - in rings. 200 g of chicken fillet are disassembled along the fibers, 6 Iceberg leaves are torn by hand. All are mixed in a salad bowl, adding a sliced fresh cucumber and a glass of grated Red Windsor. Season with balsamic vinegar.
See also recipes with Yarg cheese.
Interesting facts about Red Windsor cheese
It is not known who and when developed the recipe for the Cheddar cheese variety. This beautiful fermented milk product gained popularity at the beginning of the twentieth century - thanks to the Pope. He traveled through England, and the Berkshire congregation decided to surprise him by serving such a beautiful cheese.
The variety got its name from the place of manufacture - a cheese dairy in the vicinity of the small town of Windsor.
At first, the production was seasonal. The cheese was dipped into the vaults in the summer to be treated during Catholic Christmas. It is now made year-round in Leicestershire dairies using a vegetarian curd enzyme.
Red Windsor cannot be purchased outside the United Kingdom. If ordered in a batch, the shipping costs will be so expensive that they outweigh the cost of the product itself.
