Red Leicester Cheese vs Tulum Cheese
Red Leicester Cheese is a hard, similar to cheddar but more moist, crumbly cow-milk cheese from United Kingdom, while Tulum Cheese is a goat-milk cheese, originating in Turkey.
What Is Red Leicester Cheese?
Red Leicester is an English cow's milk cheese from Leicestershire, close to Cheddar but crumblier. Annatto gives it its orange colour, and four to nine months of ageing takes it from mild and mellow to tangy and slightly nutty.
What Is Tulum Cheese?
Tulum is a Turkish goat's milk cheese ripened inside a goatskin casing, which is what the word tulum means in Turkish. It is made in several regions, and versions from Erzincan, İzmir, Divle, Çimi and Kargı each taste different.
What's the Difference Between Red Leicester Cheese and Tulum Cheese?
- Origin: Red Leicester Cheese (United Kingdom), Tulum Cheese (Turkey)
- Milk type: Red Leicester Cheese (cow's milk), Tulum Cheese (goat)
- Milk treatment: Red Leicester Cheese (Unpasteurized (Sparkenhoe Farm), Pasteurized (others)), Tulum Cheese (raw)
- Aging: Red Leicester Cheese (6 months (traditional), varies for industrial), Tulum Cheese (about 6 months)
Side-by-Side Comparison
| Red Leicester Cheese | Tulum Cheese | |
|---|---|---|
| Country of Origin | United Kingdom | Turkey |
| Specific Origin | Leicestershire | Turkey |
| Milk Type | Cow's milk | Goat |
| Milk Treatment | Unpasteurized (Sparkenhoe Farm), Pasteurized (others) | Raw |
| Texture | Hard, similar to Cheddar but more moist, crumbly | — |
| Rind | Clothbound (Sparkenhoe Farm), Plastic (industrial) | — |
| Aging | 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial | About 6 months |
| Taste | Caramel, sweet | — |
Taste Comparison: Does Red Leicester Cheese Taste Like Tulum Cheese?
Their flavor profiles are distinct. Aging plays into this as well. Red Leicester Cheese at 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial develops a different profile than Tulum Cheese at about 6 months.
Can You Substitute Red Leicester Cheese for Tulum Cheese?
Red Leicester Cheese can stand in for Tulum Cheese in many dishes, but the switch will shift the overall character of the recipe.
Which Is Better, Red Leicester Cheese or Tulum Cheese?
There's no single winner. It depends on your recipe and the profile you want.
Which is your favorite?
One click, anonymous. See what others chose.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Red Leicester Cheese the same as Tulum Cheese?
No, they're distinct cheeses. Red Leicester Cheese originates in United Kingdom, while Tulum Cheese comes from Turkey. Red Leicester Cheese is made from cow milk; Tulum Cheese uses goat. Aging also differs: Red Leicester Cheese is typically aged 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial, Tulum Cheese about 6 months.
Is Red Leicester Cheese similar to Tulum Cheese?
Not closely. They use different milk bases and have distinct profiles.
Can I substitute Red Leicester Cheese for Tulum Cheese?
You can, but expect a shift in richness and milk character.
Does Red Leicester Cheese taste like Tulum Cheese?
They have distinct flavor profiles. The taste row in the table above is the best direct comparison.
What is Red Leicester Cheese made of?
Red Leicester Cheese is made from cow milk (unpasteurized (sparkenhoe farm), pasteurized (others)), using animal rennet. It's typically aged 6 months (traditional), varies for industrial. It originates in United Kingdom.
What is Tulum Cheese made of?
Tulum Cheese is made from goat milk (raw). It's typically aged about 6 months. It originates in Turkey.
Which should I choose, Red Leicester Cheese or Tulum Cheese?
It depends on the dish. The table above is the fastest way to decide based on your recipe.