Old-World Rye Sourdough (High Rye Bread)

By Loaflo | Yield: 1 medium loaf (~750g)

A dense, aromatic sourdough loaf made with a high percentage of rye flour. This recipe follows a traditional approach with a rye preferment and uses a loaf pan for support. Difficulty: Hard. Unique characteristics: very moist crumb, bold tangy flavor, and a dark, caramelized crust. The dough is more like a thick batter and requires minimal gluten development, relying on sourdough acidity for structure.

Ingredients

400g Whole rye flour (Dark rye for traditional flavor (about 80% of total flour).)
100g Bread flour (To lighten the texture slightly (about 20% of total flour).)
400g Water (Room temperature. High hydration (~80%) helps rye gelatinize and remain moist.)
150g Active sourdough starter (rye preferment) (This will be prepared in the levain stage (preferment) using rye flour.)
9g Salt (About 1.8% of total flour weight (slightly less salt since rye dough ferments faster).)
1 tbsp Molasses or honey (optional) (Optional sweetener to mimic traditional rye flavor and help browning.)
2 tsp Caraway seeds (optional) (Traditional in rye bread for flavor; can be mixed in or sprinkled on top.)

Steps

Levain Build (Preferment)

In a medium bowl, mix 50g of your sourdough starter (100% hydration) with 100g whole rye flour and 100g water. This creates a 250g rye levain (which is your 150g needed preferment plus a little extra buffer).
Stir until it's a thick batter-like consistency. Cover the bowl and let it ferment at room temperature (around 75°F/24°C) for 8-12 hours, preferably overnight.
By the time it's ready, the levain should be bubbly, expanded, and have a pronounced sour aroma. It will be quite sticky and paste-like.

Building a rye levain ensures we have a very active and acidic preferment to inoculate the final dough. Rye flour ferments quickly and benefits from a high proportion of prefermented flour. The acidity developed in this levain is crucial for rye bread structure – it helps starches gelatinize and prevents enzymatic breakdown of the crumb (rye’s amylase enzymes can cause gumminess if not sufficiently acidified). An overnight fermentation of the levain guarantees a strong flavor and good yeast activity for the final dough.

Mixing the Final Dough

In a large bowl, combine the prepared rye levain (150g of it, reserving any excess), the remaining whole rye flour (300g), the bread flour (100g), and all of the water (400g). If using molasses or honey, add it now.
Use a sturdy spoon or spatula to mix everything together. This will form a very wet, thick batter-like dough. Make sure there are no dry lumps of flour; scrape the bowl sides and mix until uniform. The dough will be extremely sticky and paste-like, which is expected.
Add the salt (9g) and caraway seeds (if using) and mix again thoroughly. Since this dough is so wet and without much gluten, you won't be kneading in a traditional sense, but ensure the salt and any spices are evenly distributed. The final consistency will be like a heavy porridge or mud pie – it won't form a typical dough ball.

Unlike wheat doughs, high-rye doughs do not develop much gluten (rye has very little gluten and what it has is not as elastic). Therefore, the mixing process is about evenly distributing ingredients rather than kneading to develop structure. The consistency will be very different from typical bread – more like a thick cake batter or clay. The inclusion of a small percentage of bread flour gives just a bit of gluten to slightly lift the loaf, but it will still be dense. Salt is added after initial mixing to avoid inhibiting the enzyme activity that helps rye’s starches gel during the first mixing. Expect a sticky, slack mixture – this is normal and actually desired for rye bread.

Bulk Fermentation

Cover the bowl of dough and let it ferment at warm room temperature (78-82°F if possible, or in a turned-off oven with the light on for gentle warmth) for about 1 to 1.5 hours. This is a shorter bulk ferment than usual because a lot of flour was already prefermented in the levain.
During this bulk time, you will not be doing stretch-and-folds (the dough is far too wet and without gluten structure). Simply let it sit and ferment undisturbed.
By the end of bulk fermentation, you should see the dough puff up a bit. It might increase by about 20-30% in volume and show small fermentation holes on the surface. It will be soft, wobbly, and still very sticky.
Do not let it ferment too long at this stage – because of the high rye content and warm temperature, it can over-ferment quickly, which could lead to a collapsed structure. Move to shaping once you see it liveliness (it’s better to err on the side of slightly under-fermented with rye).

Rye dough ferments much faster than wheat and is more prone to enzymatic breakdown if overdone. A relatively short bulk fermentation is used, especially since nearly a third of the flour was already prefermented in the levain. Over-fermenting rye can cause what bakers call "paste" or gumminess as the structure breaks down:contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5}. Therefore, we keep this initial fermentation short and closely watched. There’s no folding or handling because the dough lacks the gluten to benefit from it – it wouldn’t hold a fold. We simply let the dough gather some gas and acidity.

Shaping (Pan Loading)

Rye dough at this hydration cannot be shaped by hand in the usual way – it’s too fluid. Instead, prepare a loaf pan (about 8½ x 4½ inch or similar) by greasing it well (use butter or oil) and, if available, line it with a strip of parchment for easy removal.
Using a rubber spatula or bowl scraper, gently pour/scoop the fermented rye dough into the prepared pan. It will flow slowly. Try to distribute it evenly in the pan as you pour.
With wet fingertips or a wet spatula, smooth the top of the dough in the pan. You can also tap the pan on the counter a few times to settle the dough and eliminate large air pockets. The pan should be filled roughly half to two-thirds full with dough.
If using caraway seeds on top, sprinkle them evenly over the surface now, gently pressing them so they stick.
Cover the loaf pan with a damp cloth or lightly oiled plastic wrap for the final proof.

Shaping a high rye loaf is more about transferring than traditional molding. By using a loaf pan, we give the rye batter structure and support – without a pan, a high hydration rye would spread into a flat disc. Greasing and lining the pan ensures the sticky baked loaf can be removed later. Smoothing the top with wet fingers helps create an even top (rye won’t smooth out on its own like wheat dough, it will keep whatever shape it's left in). This method is essentially like handling a cake batter – pour and level – rather than a dough. Sprinkling caraway seeds is a classic touch for rye, adding flavor with each bite.

Final Proof

Let the dough proof in the pan until you see it rising near the top edge of the loaf pan. At warm room temperature (78°F/26°C), this might take about 45 minutes to 1 hour. It could be a bit longer if your ambient temperature is cooler.
The dough is ready to bake when it has risen to within about 1/2 inch of the pan’s rim (or slightly above) and the surface shows tiny holes or cracks from expanding gas. It will feel very soft to the touch. Do not let it fully double or overflow – rye can overproof quickly and collapse.
While the dough is in final proof, preheat your oven to 475°F (246°C).

The final proof for a high rye is relatively short and must be watched closely. Because rye lacks gluten, it doesn’t hold shape on its own – the acidity in the dough helps set the structure, but if it overproofs, the dough’s starch matrix can collapse (resulting in the infamous "rye bread canyon" or a sunken top). We proof just to the point where the dough is significantly expanded but not starting to fall. The visual cues (dough at near pan height, small fissures on top) indicate readiness. Starting with a very hot oven ensures the loaf sets quickly and helps with oven spring.

Baking the Rye Loaf

When the oven is fully preheated to 475°F (246°C), place the loaf pan on the middle rack. For the first 10 minutes, you can create steam by placing a few ice cubes or a small pan of hot water at the bottom of the oven (optional, as the rye batter has high moisture already).
Bake at 475°F for 10 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 425°F (218°C). Continue to bake for an additional 45-50 minutes. The total baking time will be around 55-60 minutes.
The loaf is done when the top is very dark brown (almost blackened in spots if molasses was used) and the internal temperature is about 205-210°F (96-99°C). The edges of the crust may start to pull away from the pan slightly.
Remove the pan from the oven. Immediately remove the bread from the pan (running a knife along the edges if needed) and place the loaf on a cooling rack. It is important to unmold it so that excess moisture doesn’t make the crust soggy.
Let the rye bread cool completely, at least 12 hours (and ideally 24 hours) before slicing. High rye breads improve significantly after resting; the crumb sets and the flavors mellow and meld.

The rye loaf is baked longer and at a slightly lower temperature after the initial phase to ensure the dense crumb cooks through. The initial high heat helps kickstart oven spring and gelatinizes starches quickly (in place of gluten structure). Rye breads are often baked to a deep color – this contributes to flavor and a resilient crust. Removing the loaf from the pan promptly prevents trapped steam from making the loaf damp. Perhaps counterintuitively, rye bread is best eaten a day after baking; this resting period lets the gummy starches stabilize (water redistributes) and the acidity to equilibrate, greatly improving sliceability and taste. Cutting too early can result in a very gummy interior.

Troubleshooting

Top of loaf collapsed or has a deep sunken center (often called a "flying roof"): This is a sign of over-proofing or too-weak structure. Rye ferments quickly and can go from perfectly proofed to collapsed very fast:contentReference[oaicite:7]{index=7}. Next time, shorten the final proof and bake a bit earlier. Also ensure your starter/levain was not over-ripe. Adequate acidity from the preferment helps set rye’s structure – be sure to include the preferment amount and fermentation time as directed.
Gummy or wet interior even after cooling: High rye bread will always be a bit moist, but it shouldn’t be raw. If it’s truly gummy, it may be slightly under-baked or it was cut too soon. Make sure to bake until internal temp is at least 205°F. Also, always let the bread rest at least overnight. If it’s still gummy the next day, try baking 5-10 minutes longer next time. Extremely gummy/sticky crumb can also result from enzymatic activity if the dough wasn’t sour enough; if you suspect this, ferment the levain longer or add a tablespoon of vinegar to the dough mix to boost acidity.
Very dense, hard texture with no rise: This could mean the yeast activity was insufficient (starter not active enough or dough too cold) or that the dough was not given enough time to proof. Make sure your levain is bubbly and smells strongly sour. Also, consider proofing a bit longer if you did a very short proof. Keep in mind, though, that this style of bread will be much denser than a typical wheat loaf – it won’t have an open crumb at all, but it should not be brick-hard. If it seems like a brick, increasing the bread flour to 30% of total flour or slightly reducing water can help it hold more gas, at the cost of some traditional texture.
Crust is very tough or too thick: A thick crust can form if the oven lacks steam or if the bake time is a bit long. Ensure you have some steam at the beginning (rye crust can turn hard without it). You can also brush the top of the loaf with water or a starch-water gel right before baking to keep it softer. Finally, wrapping the loaf in a towel during the post-bake cooling (after it’s mostly cooled) can soften the crust a touch by retaining moisture.