Is rye flour good for sourdough bread?

Rye flour is wonderful for sourdough bread! It enhances the sourness and has such a unique and complex flavor profile. IT does have less gluten so it takes some getting used to and you will want to use it alongside a regular bread flour to avoid getting a dense, gummy loaf.

What is the difference between sourdough and rye sourdough?

Rye sourdough simply means you have either fed your starter with rye flour and/or you have created a loaf of sourdough bread using rye flour. Rye flour is great for sourdough but it does have less gluten and can create a very sticky dough. It might take some getting used to, but I highly recommend rye sourdough.

Does rye sourdough take longer to rise?

No, in fact rye sourdough is almost always faster to rise. Sourdough loves rye and if you feed your starter with it you will see by how quickly it bubbles up and doubles in size. The same is true for bulk fermentation and rising times for rye-based sourdough breads. I have found they only take 2-3 hours in my kitchen whereas a white loaf would take up to 6 hours.

Does rye flour make sourdough more sour?

Rye flour does create a more sour flavor profile in sourdough which is one of the reasons I love adding it to my sourdough recipes. It will really give your starter a boost and add flavor and complexity to your breads and other doughs.

Sourdough Rye Bread

Ingredients

284 grams water (1 1/4 cups)

275 grams active, bubbly sourdough starter (1 cup)

160 grams medium rye flour (1 1/2 cups)

300 grams white bread flour (2 3/4 cups)

10 grams kosher salt (2 teaspoons)

21 grams honey (1 tablespoon)

21 grams molasses (1 tablespoon)

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Instructions

Stand mixer method

Mix water, honey, molasses, and starter in bowl of stand mixer. Add flours and salt. Mix with dough hook for a minute or so until a sticky, rough dough forms. Leave covered for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, continue kneading on speed 2 with dough hook for 5 minutes. Scrape sides and continue for 5 more at speed 3 until dough is smooth and pulls away from sides and bottom. It will still be sticky.
When dough has finished kneading, cover and allow to bulk ferment at room temperature for 2-3 hours until dough has risen by about 25%.
When dough has risen, dump onto floured work surface, shape to fit your banneton or vessel of choice. This can be sticky so just be patient, use extra flour or damp hands, and a bench scraper can be really helpful.
Flour banneton and dough very well. Place shaped dough in banneton seam side up. Cover and refrigerate for 12-24 hours.
An hour before you are ready to bake, preheat oven to 450 degrees F with covered Dutch oven inside for 1 hour.
When oven is preheated, remove dough from refrigertor, tip out onto parchment, score with a razorblade, lame, or very sharp knife.
Immediately transfer dough to preheated Dutch oven using parchment to lift and lower it into the pan. Cover and bake for 30 minutes at 450 degrees F.
After 30 minutes, place a small trivet under loaf and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes. Cover loosely with foil to prevent over browning if desired. Loaf is done when it reaches 200-210 degrees F.
Remove loaf from Dutch oven and allow to cool on a rack uncovered for a 4-6 hours or up to overnight.

Stretch and fold instructions:

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl until a shaggy dough forms. Leave to rest for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes mix once more to ensure all ingredients are well combined.
Next, you will perform 6 sets of stretch and folds over the next couple hours. Perform the first 2-3 at 15 minute intervals and the last 3-4 at 30 minute intervals. Leave the dough covered and in a warm spot in between each set.
After all stretch and folds have been completed, cover dough and allow to bulk ferment at room temperature for 2-3 hours until dough has risen by about 25%.
Proceed with instructions 4-10 as written above.

Notes

I have given the cup measurements but just be aware that weight measurements will always be more accurate.

If you want to make this even easier to work with you can reduce the water by 60 grams (1/4 cup) and you will have a much less sticky dough and an even tighter crumb once baked. You won't get a very dramatic oven spring but it still makes a really good loaf.

Your bulk fermentation time could be much less or much more than mine. It takes about 3 hours in my 70 degree kitchen and I often place my dough in my oven with the light on. Rye dough rises much faster than other doughs so keep a close eye and shape your loaf as soon as the dough has risen by 25%.

Author: anita | wild thistle kitchen
Prep Time: 4 hours
cold ferment: 12-24 hours
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Category: sourdough
Method: baking, sourdough
Cuisine: American