My time in Russia taught me to savor dark rye bread with a tangy flavor. The ratios and process used to create this bread were mysteries, because subsidies made the mass-produced loaves so affordable that I knew no one who baked the rye bread at home and had a recipe to share. It simply tasted of basic ingredients and some type of sourdough culture. When I returned to America and started baking with sourdough, I began my own experiments to create the loaf I share this week in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon.

I initially tried an all-rye loaf and baked several flat, hard bread discs before I settled on the most effective combination of flours: white, whole wheat, and rye. I feed my 100% hydration starter white wheat flour, and including a bit more in the dough gives it much needed elasticity. Instead of the extra ingredients often found in rye breads, like instant coffee, cocoa powder, caraway, and corn syrup, I let the rye flour and wild yeast provide all of the flavor. The loaf tastes distinctly different from my all-wheat Sourdough Cabin Bread, but the overall ratios, process, and timing remain nearly identical.
Learn to make Sourdough Rye Bread