This delicious and healthy 100% rye sourdough bread has quickly made it into the regular rotation in my baking schedule. It is incredibly healthy, loaded with fiber and has a flavor that will quickly get you hooked. There is so much good going on in the bread; for starters, it is super high in fiber but low in gluten, and it has plenty of healthy fats from the sunflower, flax, and pumpkin seeds. It checks all the boxes and is perfectly balanced in macronutrients. I make a massive batch every time I bake this bread and pre-slice and freeze 3/4 of it. To serve, just take it from the freezer, pop it in the toaster in the morning, and use it for a lunchtime sandwich. I eat it almost every day and love it more today than ever.
Baking 100% Rye Bread FAQ
Forget half the rules you know about sourdough baking. Rye bread is a completely different beast. Let me correct myself. 100% rye bread is a completely different beast. Forget stretch and folds, forget building strength in the dough. Mix it and let it be.
Proofing 100% Rye Breads vs. Wheat
Where your sourdough rye bread can go off the rails is in the timing of the final proof. Long final proofs are a no-go for sourdough rye. The flexibility of a long cold proof is not an option either. Rye likes warmth, you can’t just throw it in the fridge like regular dough if you decide you want to go out. Rye doesn’t like that. It needs to proof long enough but not too long. You build flavor and starter in the first or second proof but not in the final dough poof. Here it rarely needs to be more than 6 hours. Usually 3-6 in the bowl and 1-2 in the bread pan.
Much of my understanding of rye baking has come from Dan Leader’s book living bread. I came to realize the German and Danish rye breads all had something in common. A 2-3 stage process of building the leaven. With the second stage often being the longest and done overnight.
This recipe is monstrously large. Because of the sensitivity of timing with rye bread, if I make it, I’m making a lot of it. I will typically leave the small loaf for the week to eat fresh and pre-slice and freeze the 14-inch Pullman loaf. This recipe is for a standard loaf pan and a long Pullman pan. It’s a lot of dough. In total, I think it weighs close to 4 kg seeds and all. If this is too much of a commitment for you don’t worry. I have it broken down for a single 8-inch loaf or a single 14-inch Pullman loaf here.
Converting Your Wheat Starter To A Rye Sourdough Starter.
If your not to concerned that your rye sourdough starter may be 1/100th wheat, you can simply convert your wheat sourdough starter, to rye with 2-3 feeds. Start with very small ratios to ensure you do not end up with a very large amount of starter. I like to build, in grams, from 10 starter/20 water /20 rye flour, let it sit for 6-8 hours at room temperature,then feed at a 50/100/100 ratio. From here you can take the required amount of starter for the recipe, and place the remainder in the refrigerator to serve as your new rye sourdough starter.
Do You Have A Sourdough Starter?
Like all the recipes featured on Bubbling Starter, this bread is made with a sourdough starter. To learn how to make your own; check out Beginners Guide to Creating a Bubbling Starter. Simply alternate the flour to rye if building a rye sourdough starter.
My new favorite heathy rye bread!