Rye Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Oh, the simple joys of a good ‘ol sandwich bread!
While you can make a sandwich with just about any bread, the shape of this bread is perfect for those nice square sandwiches!
This is also a good place to start if you don’t have a Dutch oven (just use a loaf pan!) or are nervous about shaping (shaping this guy is easy!)
Rye sandwich bread has a special place in my heart. It’s pretty much the ultimate Jersey Girl sandwich bread in my humble opinion. I mean, sure, we have bagels and pizza, but why doesn’t anyone talk about the deli rye???
Sometimes referred to as “Jewish deli rye” because it was found stuffed with pastrami in Jewish delis—which are not only a New York thing; New Jersey also has a bustling deli scene—this rye bread has a nutty rye flavor but maintains a fluffy texture and is studded with caraway seeds for a little something extra.
For this bread, we will mix bread flour into the rye mix to give this loaf its signature light and fluffy texture. There are two options for the ratio: either 20% rye or 30% rye. The more rye flour you add, the more rye flavor you get! However, the extra rye flour makes the bread a tad bit denser. However, I made 30% and 20% rye back-to-back recently, and I could barely tell the difference, so I would go with the 30% for extra whole grains! See photos below for a side-by-side comparison of the crumb.
The process of making this bread is very similar to my country loaf. The main difference is the shaping and the baking vessel.
Also, like the country loaf and most sourdough recipes, the process is lengthy, but most of the time is down time.
Steps:
Mixing the ingredients
Just mix everything together.
Building the gluten
There are different ways to build gluten. In this recipe, I use the stretch and fold method. Please see my video for a demonstration on stretch and folds. Essentially, you take a corner of the dough, stretch it out, and fold it over onto the dough. You continue for all four corners or until the dough is tight. Let the dough rest for thirty minutes, then perform another set of stretch and folds. Continue the stretch and folds in thirty-minute intervals until the gluten is developed, which should take three to four sets of stretch and folds. We will also use this step—during the second stretch and fold— to incorporate the caraway seeds.
Bulk Fermentation (or first rise)
Let the dough rest until it doubles in size.
Shaping
Flatten out the dough into a rectangle. Then, roll it up tightly until it is a log. Place the log right into the bread pan and cover.
Proofing (or second rise)
Allow dough to rest overnight in the fridge. See my video on why we proof overnight.
Scoring and Baking
Score dough with a sharp razor (like one you would use for shaving—you can use a lame if you have one), and bake! For this recipe, we are going to bake in the loaf pan that it was resting in. Easy peasy! See my video for my method of scoring.
Below is the recipe for a 30% rye sandwich loaf. Look in the notes for the ratios for 20%.
I always add caraway seeds to rye as that really adds that “Jewish deli rye” flavor, but if feel free to omit the seeds if you are allergic to them or simply don’t like them.
Crumb of 20% rye
Crumb of 30% Rye
Rye Sourdough Sandwich Bread
Ingredients
- 100 grams active sourdough starter**
- 350 grams water
- 7 grams salt
- 150 grams whole grain rye flour
- 350 grams bread flour
- 8 grams caraway seeds
Instructions
- Mix the active sourdough starter, water, and salt in a large mixing bowl (2.5 quart is ideal).
- Add the rye flour and the bread flour and mix, mix, mix until it becomes a shaggy dough.
- Gently knead the dough with your hands until it forms a ball. Cover and allow the dough to rest for 30 minutes. You will perform at least three stretch and folds in thirty-minute intervals. This will develop the gluten.
- After 30 minutes, perform your first stretch and fold. Take one corner of the dough and stretch it out as far as you can without ripping the dough. Stop when you feel the dough start to tug back. Fold this piece over onto the dough. Continue for all four corners. Allow to rest for another 30 minutes. You will perform at least three stretch and folds in thirty-minute intervals.
- After 30 minutes, add 8 grams of caraway seeds and perform the second stretch and fold in the same way you did the first. This will not only build the gluten network but will also incorporate the caraway seeds. Wait another thirty minutes and perform your third stretch and fold.
- If you are uncertain if the gluten has developed, perform a window pane test. Stretch the dough until you can see light coming through it. If it breaks, then the gluten needs more development, and you can perform a fourth stretch and fold. If it doesn’t break, then you can start the bulk fermentation (or first rise).
- Allow the dough to rise for 4-8 hours. The amount of time the dough needs to rise will depend on the strength of the starter, the temperature, and the flours used. The dough should double in size (if using a 2.5 quart bowl, it will nearly fill the bowl).
- Once the dough has risen, it is time to shape it. Take your dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Flour your hands and flatten the dough into a rectangle. Then roll it up until it’s a log. Make sure to roll it tightly, so it holds its shape!
- Place the dough into a loaf pan lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking. Spray loaf with water and sprinkle on caraway seeds. Cover and let it proof in the fridge overnight.
- Once ready to bake, preheat oven to 475 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once your oven is preheated, take your dough out of the fridge and score your dough with a sharp razor. You can simply score two diagonal lines across the dough.
- Place pan into your preheated oven. Turn down the temperature to 450 F and bake for twenty minutes.
- After twenty minutes, lower temperature to 420 F. Bake for another 20 minutes.
- After the second twenty minutes, check your crust. If it is brown enough to your liking, take the bread out of the oven and cool. If you want more browning on the crust, you can bake for a few more minutes or alternatively, turn off the oven and allow the bread to cool inside the oven. The latter will result in an extra crusty bread.
- Allow your bread to cool for at least one hour before cutting into it. (The bread is still technically cooking as it cools, and you will ruin the crumb if you are impatient).
- Enjoy your delicious sourdough bread!
Notes
Supplies
2.5 Quart Mixing Bowl with Cover
Fork for mixing
Kitchen Scale
Loaf Pan (I use a 9" x 4" x 4" pullman loaf pan)
Silicone Mat or Parchment Paper (optional)
Razor (or Lame)
*For 20% rye: use 100 grams of rye flour and 400 grams of bread flour. The total flour should still be 500 grams.
**If your room temperature runs high, you may want to use less sourdough starter. If your room temperature runs low, you may want to use more.
