Crusty Sourdough Rye Bread Recipes

QUICK SOURDOUGH RYE BREAD

Steps:

• In a large bowl, dissolve liquid malt extract in warm water. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix until combined. The dough will be very sticky (but not wet) and that's to be expected. If too wet, add more flour. Scrape the dough off your hands. Wash your hands, this will make it much easier to knead the sticky dough. Knead for about 7 minutes inside the bowl. You can also use a stand mixer with a dough hook attachment. In a stand mixer, knead for 3 minutes on low and 4 minutes on medium speed.
• Cover the bowl and let the dough rest in a warm place for about 30-40 minutes. During this time, give the dough 3 stretch and folds, where each time you would pull each corner of the dough and fold onto itself. If it's easier, just knead the dough briefly, about 5-10 seconds each time. This will help it develop gluten and build strength.
• On a lightly floured work surface, shape the dough into a ball and flatten slightly. Place on a piece of parchment paper. Using a serrated knife, make scores as shown in the picture.
• Cover the dough and let rest for 45-60 minutes. It should rise by at least 30%.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 475F with a heavy-duty baking sheet and a bread pan filled about 1/2" with hot water.
• Once the oven is preheated, slide the dough with the parchment paper onto the hot baking sheet. Spray a little bit of water on the walls of the oven and close it quickly. Bake at 475F for 10 minutes. Remove the water pan, drop the temperature to 425F, and continue baking for another 35 minutes.
• Remove the bread from the oven, transfer to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 1 hour at room temperature before slicing.

POLISH SOURDOUGH RYE BREAD (CHLEB NA ZAKWAS ŻYTNI)

Steps:

• In a small bowl, mix together the 4 tablespoons rye flour and milk.
• Cover with plastic and set in a warm place to ripen for two days or until it smells pleasantly sour.
• In a large bowl, combine 4 cups rye flour and the all-purpose flour, salt, yeast, butter, water, and starter. Knead 7 minutes by machine or 10 minutes by hand.
• Place the dough in a clean, greased bowl, cover with plastic, and let it rise in a warm place until doubled, about 1 hour.
• Punch down the dough, knead it for 1 minute and divide it in half.
• Heat the oven to 400 F.
• Shape each dough half into a round on two parchment-lined baking sheets. Cover each round with oiled plastic and let them rise 30 minutes or until almost doubled.
• Brush the risen rounds with egg white and sprinkle them with caraway seeds. Bake 35 to 40 minutes or until instant-read thermometer registers 190 to 195 F and bread sounds hollow when tapped.
• Slide the bread round off the baking pans and cool them completely on a wire rack.
• Slice, serve, and enjoy! If you have leftover rye bread and it's starting to go stale, put it to use making rye croutons to enjoy on salads and soups.

CRUSTY SOURDOUGH RYE BREAD

Steps:

• Combine starter, rye flour, and one cup of the water in a large bowl; stir to blend; if you'd like an extra-sour flavor, cover mixture with plastic wrap and let stand in a warm place 6-24 hours (I let mine go six hours) until bubbly and sour, even boozy, smelling.
• Combine yeast and remaining water in small bowl; let stand about 5 minutes until foamy; stir into sourdough mixture; add whole-wheat flour, 1 3/4 cups of the all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, and caraway seeds; stir (in KitchenAid stand mixer on low speed) until dough comes together.
• Knead 9-10 minutes (in KitchenAid stand mixer on speed #2) until dough is smooth and springy; add more all-purpose flour, a tablespoon or two at a time during the kneading process as necessary to reduce excess stickiness (this particular dough will remain somewhat sticky); cover and let rise about 1 - 1 1/2 hours in a warm place until doubled.
• Punch down dough and knead a few strokes to release air; shape into a round loaf and place on a baking stone or a greasing baking sheet; cover loaf lightly and allow to rise about 30 minutes until almost doubled.
• Cut a couple small slashes about 3/4" deep on top of loaf; spray loaf with water and bake at 425° for 9 minutes, spraying loaf after 3, 6, and 9 minutes; reduce oven temperature to 400° and bake another 20-25 minutes until loaf is browned and sounds hollow when tapped on the bottom; transfer finished loaf to cooling rack.
• NOTE: If you opt to let your starter and rye combination stand for several hours, you can get by without the additional yeast ~ Just plan on increased rising times.