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Sourdough Rye Bread (with 100% Rye Flour)

100% rye bread

Rye bread often contains a certain percentage of wheat flour, that’s why we call it “Mischbrot” which means “Mixed Bread”. However, sometimes, people want a pure rye bread and this is the recipe you need for that.

German Sourdough bread

Because rye flour has almost no gluten, we usually add about 40% of wheat flour to a rye bread, so it has a better texture. However, it is possible to bake bread with 100% rye flour. This is a very delicious and rustic bread – perfect for people who want to reduce their wheat intake or who are gluten sensitive.

The Rye Bread

This bread will be a lot more dense than many store bought breads, which makes it great for sandwiches. Whether you want to enjoy it with jam or honey or go for something hearty – I recommend cheese ore salami – it tastes fantastic with either.

rustic German bread

The Sourdough

Like all breads with rye flour, this recipe needs a sourdough. You can make a sourdough from a sourdough starter and how this all works, is described in this article and video: https://mygerman.recipeshow-to-make-and-feed-sourdough-starter/

rye flour bread

The Rye Bread Dough

Be prepared for a very sticky dough! If possible, leave one hand clean in case you need to grab something – usually the phone rings the moment you have touched the dough ;-) – and work with the other hand on the dough.

Also very important to know: Clean all tools and bowls asap. If rye dough dries, it can be like concrete and difficult to clean off.

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Pure Rye Bread Recipe

Rye Bread with 100% Rye Flour

Barbara
Pure Rye Bread with Sourdough
4.68 from 67 votes
Course Breakfast, Dinner, Snack
Cuisine German

Ingredients
 
 

Sourdough / Pre Dough

  • 60 g Sourdough Starter (see recipe on this blog)
  • 270 g Rye Flour
  • 300 ml Water
  • 6 g Salt

Bread Dough

  • 100 % of the Sourdough from above, made the day before
  • 300 g Rye Flour
  • 162 ml Boiling Water
  • 24 g Honey
  • 7 g Salt

Instructions
 

Making The Sourdough

Making the Bread Dough

  • Put the 162 ml boiling water into a large bowl and add the rye flour, salt and honey and mix it all together.
  • Now add the Sourdough that you started the day before. If your sourdough starter is rather young and the sourdough seems to be not very active, add a little yeast to the dough.
  • Mix everything with your hands until all flour is incorporated.
  • Cover and let rise for an hour or until it has increased its size by one third.
  • Place a good amount of flour on a large board and put the dough on top of it.
  • Begin folding the dough from the top to the center, rotate it 90ยฐ and again fold the top of the dough to the center. Continue to do this until you made it two to three times around.
  • Dust a proofing basket or bowl with a thick layer of rye flour and put the dough into it.
  • Let rise until it has almost doubled its size (about 1 hour).
  • After the first 30 minutes: Preheat the oven to 250ยฐC / 482 ยฐF with the baking sheet in it.
  • When the hour is over: Flip the bread onto the hot baking sheet and place it in the oven. Then reduce the heat to 230ยฐC / 446ยฐF.
  • Bake for about 60 minutes or until the bread has the prefered color and sounds hollow if you knock on its bottom.
  • Let the bread cool completely before cutting it. Even better: Wait one day to increase the taste.
Keyword Bread
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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126 thoughts on “Sourdough Rye Bread (with 100% Rye Flour)”

  1. 5 stars
    What bread or buns can I make with the left
    Over sourdough? Recipe please! I hate
    To waste ! Thanks!

    1. I hate waste, too, and tried some things that I found on the internet. If you google it, you’ll find plenty of recipes but my experience is that it often have a rather strong taste if you don’t mix it with some more flour.

  2. 4 stars
    I am wondering if the starter needs to come out of the fridge and be fed before I use it. What is the timing on this? I too experienced a rather overdone loaf. The bottom is most hard to cut even. I want to make another loaf but need help with these two problems. Thank you!

    1. I think I answered the other question in the previous comment but for the hard crust on the bottom I wonder what kind of oven you have. It’s probably not a convection oven. I experience that problem when I bake in a cast iron pot, too. It is difficult to fix if there is much heat from the bottom. You could try and bake the bread on a higher rack in the oven. The color of the baking sheet can also play a role. Try a different colored baking sheet if you have.

  3. 5 stars
    I was so happy to read your 100% Rye bread. Just baked my first loaf today. I am wondering how much yeast should I add in? I added a tsp but the loaf still came out flatter than Iโ€™d like. Also, when using the sourdough starter from the fridge, does it have to be brought to room temp. before using? I was very impressed with how powerful the starter became before I refrigerated it.

    1. Hi Kelly,
      yes, the sourdough needs to have room temperature and it’s best practice to feed it the day or at least some hours before using it in the recipe. The yeast doesn’t do too much but will boost the sourdough a bit. Use like 2 grams of yeast if your sourdough is just some days or weeks old.

  4. 5 stars
    Hi Barbara. I happen to make all my starters with 100% rye flour and either use it as is or use some of it as inoculate for whole wheat starter. It makes a very robust starter that’s almost impossible to kill and ferments quickly. It even dries and rehydrates very well to make more or to share and is ready to bake after only three feedings.

    To dry, spread it out real thin on a Silpat or parchment-lined baking sheet, and dry it in an oven set to “Proof.” Takes about 48 hours. Break it up, dry for another 8 hours then powder it in a blender then seal, freeze or vacuum store it.

    I love sourdough baking and plan on making this recipe because I’ve never worked with 100% rye, and this looks interesting.

    PS: I love your mixing bowls. Where can I get some? You have my email. Please let me know. Thank you.

  5. 5 stars
    This recipe is lovely! I battled to nurture a sourdough starter to life in my chilly basement flat in Scotland, but when she finally came round I gave this recipe a go and now make it on a weekly basis, usually split into two smaller loaves to provide to my friends, flatmate and landlady! As a Finn in the UK I was sorely missing rye bread, but now to be able to make it on my own feels like an superpower. I’ll also add that this is my weekday recipe as it such a hands-off dough! I have experimented with and without added yeast, with black treacle instead of honey, with added caraway and spices, and a spelt-rye combination dough, and it is a joy every single time. Thanks for sharing! Always thankful!

  6. Mona Ann Shifman

    Guten morgen! I will be starting my rye sourdough today. Have you ever made this bread in a form so it is square?

  7. Iโ€™m so confused, I followed all of the directions and my dough is so sticky and wet.. I feel like I will have to add so much more flour. What could have happened?

    1. Hi Candi, donโ€˜t add more flour. This is just how rye flour is and the dough is sticky, yes. Watch the video and youโ€˜ll see that my dough is just like that. Work with wet hands and it will not stick too much on your hands. Follow the recipe and trust it.

      1. Thank you! Is the video you are referring to โ€œhow to make and maintain a starterโ€, or am I just totally missing the recipe video

  8. Looks good, Iโ€™m looking forward to trying it out.
    1
    I have 100% rye starter, so do I need 630 gms starter for the above recipe?
    2
    Does the mixture of boiling water and flour lower the temperature enough so that the starter wonโ€™t be killed?

    1. Hi Brian,
      no, you use 60 g of the starter to make the sourdough (also called pre-dough). The flour and boiled water will not be too hot to kill the sourdough. Just make sure you mix those first, before you add the sourdough.

  9. 5 stars
    Retired, and sourdough bread beginner, I wanted to impress my Geman wife so had to try this – and it worked it was lovely! I followed and enjoyed the video but had to guess the time in the oven (I’ll check the website first next time). The advice and tips about making the sourdough, and adding yeast were very useful! Many thanks. Dedicated follower Robert

  10. The 60 gr starter you add , does it have to be active (that you have fed before adding it), or can you use one straight from the fridge ?

    1. I’ve found that feeding it prior to using it in the bread leads to a better outcome so I recommend feeding it as you suggested.

  11. My starter more than doubled in a bit over 7 hours, so I went ahead and started to make the dough.

    Your instructions in the video and written in the recipe are not the same, so I tried a combination of the two (let the dough rest for 30 min and then let it rise after the kneading process for about two hours, almost doubles.

    It is about to go in the oven and smells delicious. I’ll follow your advice and let it cool completely and wait until tomorrow to slice/eat.

    Do you suggest storing it in an airtight container or just leaving it on the counter once done baking?

    1. I would let it cool on the counter and then store it. Best for storing bread is a clay container. There are speciall bread containers from clay but very expensive, a flowerpot might be a cheaper alternative. Clay lets the bread “breath” and adjusts moisture. But a metal bread container is the second-best option. I also like to wrap my bread in a kitchen towel and then into some wax-fabric.

  12. 5 stars
    I’ve made this recipe a few times now, it’s very simple and easy and the bread turns out great every time.

  13. This 100% rye sourdough was the first sourdough I’ve ever made, turned out absolutely amazing, whole family loved it, my girls said it was like gold : ) I used a steam bath underneath and I baked a few degrees higher as we are at a high altitude here in Canmore, AB, Canada.

  14. hi I was just wondering if you can also use a dutch oven to bake this bread ? or is it better to use the baking sheet?
    thanks so much,
    Mariena

  15. Hi Barbara
    Please help, i love rye bread and your recipe seems nice and easy. I did try making your recipe, however these are what i added
    Black strap molasses (being vegan) and i thought i could give it a bit of a rise so i added 3/4 tsp of baking powder
    It was very sour and i had to discard the bread.
    My SD starter was nicely bubbly, but the bread was all flat.
    Do you think i could add a bit of yeast like you mentioned. What kind of yeast is that – looks like a cube.
    I do not mind the bread being dense. But due to the slow rising time i may just add a bit of yeast
    Please let me know how much and when to add it. (not comfortable with yeast addition due to health reasons)
    the store bought ones are nice and airy but has many unwanted ingredients.
    Do you think adding the yeast with the sourdough make it rise faster?
    Appreciate your kind help

    1. Hi Mira,
      It sounds like your sourdough is not very strong, maybe it is still young? Adding some yeast will help but in general, rye bread has its limits when it is made without additives and will never be fluffy. I would add about 3 to 5 g of dry yeast. The yeast cubes (fresh yeast) is not available in the US and most other countries.

  16. Moshe Bar-Levy

    Made this bread three times so far, with slight “adaptations” of my own e.g twice in a makeshift Dutch Oven (I did the final proof in a 1kg loaf tin which I then placed in a big preheated Le Creuset casserole and baked covered for 40 minutes, then moved the loaf out and onto a baking tray and back into the oven for 20 minutes with the heat reduced by 20ยบC. Last time I threw a handful of seeds in, oh, and instead of honey I used black treacle, and another time dark molasses. I am in love with this bread, and I cannot praise this recipe highly enough. I gave one loaf to a very fussy friend and he gave it top marks. I recommend it to anybody who appreciate German style rye. And yes, waiting a full day before eating it is not easy but well worth it.

  17. Sam Duane Halverson

    I didn’t watch the video before I started. Then I watched and discovered you say “300 ml” of water in the video but the recipe above says only about half that. Which is correct? The video shows a much wetter dough than what I ended up with.

    1. I double-checked with my notes and the recipe in the blog is correct. You can, however, increase the amount of water to have a wetter dough if you are able to work with it. It will be very sticky then.

      1. Thank you for your quick reply.

        I must be confused then. Sorry. In the video you state you are adding 300 ml of water to the rye flour. Above, though (from what I understand), you state to add only 162 ml of boiling water. Am I hearing/reading something wrong?

        1. The 300 ml go into the pre-dough the day before. The 162 boiling water goes into the bread dough the next day. Please follow the instructions in the recipe step by step.

          1. Yes. That’s what I did. My confusion came when I watched the video. I will stick with the recipe as you’ve written it.

        2. Hi Barbara,
          Huge thank you for this recipe! I love the bread! I learned so much from your YouTube video! I wish I can show you how my bread turned out! You would be proud of me โ˜บ๏ธ

          1. If you are on facebook (or should I call it Meta now???), send me a picture there on my presence :-)

  18. Hi Barbara
    Thank you for this recipe!
    Can you please explain why this kind of sourdough doesnโ€™t need an overnight proofing in the fridge like other ones?
    Thank you

    1. If you prefer your bread to proof longer i.e. overnight, you can do that. A longer proofing time at a cooler temperature often results in a more intense taste. There is a little risk of over-proofing but that’s about it. Do it as you like, for filming a video, I think two days for making bread is long enough ;-)

  19. Tali Shalom-Barak

    Loved your recipe!!!
    I got a generous amount of levain from a local bakery, and just followed your recipe. The bread was delightful, it tasted same as the bakeryโ€™s sourdough rye!
    I appreciate your efforts posting these amazing recipes!

  20. 4 stars
    Thanks for this recipe! I made it yesterday and just tried it this morning. Itโ€™s delicious but a bit chewy so I think the inside needed more cooking… however, the bottom is burnt. I cooked it for an hour. Should I try not heating the baking tray next time, and cook it for longer? Or should I cook it longer on a lower temperature? Thanks!

    1. If your oven has a strong heat from the bottom, I would first try to set the oven rack higher. Also, your flour might take in less liquid than mine, so maybe use a little less water. Another reason might be that the dough was over-proofed. In that case, the sourdough had not enough energy for an oven spring to rise the bread. Make sure you put the bread in the oven when it has the right proof – and that might be different every time, depending on room temperature and humidity.
      If you bake it longer on a lower temperature, there is the risk that the bread dries out too much but it might be our best alternative if the previous solutions didn’t work. I hope this will help!

  21. Hi Barbara! I came across this amazing recipe when I was googling rustic breads to go with cheese fondue for Valentine’s Day. The bread turned out truly divine and was perfect with the melted cheese! Since Valentine’s Day, I have baked it three times already and my entire family loves it. We also loved your sunflower seed bread. I am going to try the Franzbrรถtchen next, since we are from Hamburg and absolutely love them. Having lived in California for almost 25 years, I can absolutely relate to your kale story. I only found out 3 years ago that Grรผnkohl is indeed kale!ย  :) Thank you for all your wonderful recipes!!

  22. Why boiling water?
    Also, doesn’t adding salt to the pre-dough impede fermentation?
    Thank you. Your hubbie is a lucky man.

  23. Hi, I’m excited to try this recipe! I’ve only made wheat sourdough before. Do you use unfed starter (feed 8-10 hours before starting the pre-dough)?

  24. 5 stars
    Hi Barbara,

    Iโ€™ve just baked this today and itโ€™s delicious! Just a quick question regarding the texture of the bread.
    Mine turned out slightly chewy and a bit like it was undercooked. But the outside was done. How is the texture meant to be usually? Thanks again for such a great simple recipe!

    1. It’s not supposed to be chewy or undercooked (but when it happens, it is still edible). You need to bake it longer. The baking time very much depends on the size and shape of your bread and also of your oven. If you turn your bread and knock at the bottom and the knock sounds hollow, then it is ready to be taken out. Otherwise give it more time. You’ll get better at this over time with practice and experience – you will learn what it sounds like.

  25. 5 stars
    Hi, I have been making 100% rye bread a couple of times a week for several years now, and while I think your recipe is very good, and you explain it very well in the video too, I have a tip for you. When you are doing the “knead” I would recommend using water on your hands instead of flour, which makes it even more sticky to work with. I knead briefly, in the same way you do it, folding it over and turning it etc, but I do it in the bowl and just slightly damp my hands in a little bowl of water if I start to get too sticky. Doing this, the dough never sticks to your hands and and is much easier to work with. I hope you don’t mind me saying this. I also add lots of mixed seeds to my dough which makes it much less dense and adds lots of flavour and nutrients, but that is just my preference.

    1. HI Anni,
      I don’t mind at all, these tips are great and I appreciate that you share them with us! Thank you :-)
      Barbara

  26. Hello Barbara,
    can you use whey instead of water? That’s how I actually came across your recipe. I was searching how to use acidic whey after making cottage cheese.
    Rye bread is actually my favorite bread, but have never made it.
    I can’t wait to try it. And just one more question… I don’t have a bread basket that you show. Can I substitute something else? Thank you.

    1. I use whey in bread baking all the time, so yes! If you don’t have a proofing basket, just use a bowl with a floured kitchen towel in it.

      1. 5 stars
        Great advice… I love your. Recipe… making it today for the first time…so far so good.
        Cheers Madlen

    1. Hi Ellen,
      you can use any sourdough starter. Some people insist that the starter flour has to match the flour in the bread but that is a preference, not a rule. The starter is just the medium in which the bacteria culture lives that will later let rise your bread and give it the flavor. So, whatever starter you have will be right.

      Best,
      Barbara

  27. 5 stars
    Great recipe! Did the first part without watching the video, and then wished I had started with that! My first loaf is very tasty, although it didn’t rise as much as I expected (which wasn’t much, given that it’s all rye ;) ) Could also be the size of my banneton. Looking forward to improving on it, and thank you so much, Barbara :0)

  28. 5 stars
    Barbara. Making this beautiful rye dough for the first time. My predough has doubled in 6 hours. I am concerned about over proofing and at the same time concerned with the lack of flavor developmenT with a longer rise. Thoughts? My instincts tell me to go ahead

    1. I am afraid I am reading it too late. How did it turn out? Usually, the flavor increases with the fermentation time. However, I would say, go with your gut, especially if you are an experienced bread baker!
      Best,
      Barbara

      1. 5 stars
        Thanks Barbara. The bread was delicious. Making another loaf today. I added cinnamon and raisins so waiting to see what thatโ€™s like. I love the ease of making this bread and the amazing complexity of flavor and texture!

    2. I have to echo what Barbara said about flavor increasing with fermentation time. I’ve read at least one professional German baker who makes this point and uses practices that extend fermentation time for this very purpose.

      The good thing about rye sourdough that doesn’t hold true with rye in straight doughs is the LAB acidity – assuming you have a good acidity from development – minimizes the problem of starch attack found in rye which is not found in wheat. At least that’s how Stanley Ginsberg explains it in his book “The Rye Baker.” That’s why you can “fake” sourdough rye with commercial yeast and something like buttermilk, or you can reduce your starter amount to meet your build/proof timelines to a degree.

      Speaking of Ginsberg’s book and starter percentage, I recently baked one of the recipes where there was an apparent error in the sponge build. I should have listened to my instinct that the number was way high. It called for 150 g AP flour, 150 g water, and 100 g rye starter, 10-12 hour (overnight) build. That build time was sufficient for about 4-6 hours with my refreshed pumpernickel starter (Central Milling or Barry Farms). Two pages back where he lists total ingredients in Baker’s Percentages, it calls for 20 g starter. That would probably have been pretty well spot on for a 300 g feed.

      You’d be surprised how long a rye starter will survive in cold storage. I usually do a 50 g feed (25 g pump/25 g warm water) with anywhere from 5-25 g hungry starter. I pull stale starter out and give it a full feeding of 25/25/25, and if it comes up in a manner of 4-6 hours, refeed with 25/25/5, let it rest in room temp until just showing bubbles, and refrigerate it. If I’m baking, I’ll take from the remaining 70 g and use from it for the build and keep the remaining discard in the fridge for pancakes, whatever, or to resurrect a starter if something fails. Rye pumpernickel starter at 100% hydration is the easiest stuff to build and maintain, I have found.

  29. 5 stars
    You made me so calm while making the sourdough and the rye bread for the first time! The bread turned out amazing and my family request more already.
    Thank you from Israel :)

  30. I found that the bread was a bit burnt on the outside (top and bottom) using these directions. (I spent the week following your videos for making a rye starter and bread. )

    I used a baking sheet and a silpat pad, just like you did. I wonder if an hour is too much?

    In any case, thank you very much for both videos. I still consider it a success. :)

    1. You should always keep in mind that ovens are different and adjust baking time by watching the bread at the last 15 or even 20 minutes of baking. Take it out when you feel it’s ready.

  31. I tried the recipe and it tastes great but the loaf looks like a giant molasses cookie. The dough rose nicely when proofing but didnโ€™t seem to hold its shape lol.

    1. Is it possible that it “over-proofed”? Then it has no more energy to rise in the oven. Or your rye flour needed less water and the dough was too wet. It is difficult to tell from the far. Just keep trying and adjusting until it works out perfectly.

      1. 5 stars
        Everything is going well but my sourdough( first part of your recipe rose overnight 8 hrs must I still leave it for the rest of your recommended 24 hrs before I make my rye bread?
        Thanks for an easy recipe!

  32. Hello Barbara
    Just tried you rustic bread recipe….it was my first time baking a sourdough bread and it came out excellent. Thank you so much for the recipe and explanations. Love your blog

  33. 5 stars
    This is a fabulous recipe. I use 60/40 rye and wholemeal to make it a little lighter and it is so great it is now my only bread recipe.

    To get a really nice sour flavour: day 1 AM make the leaven. Day 2 AM make the dough. Day 3 PM (or 4 AM) bake.

  34. The recipe calls for rye flour only. Is it better to use dark rye, which is a whole grain flour, or light rye, or a combination of the two?

    1. Since I am always glad to find rye flour at all (it’s hard to get in Texas), I am usually not picky about the dark or light rye flour. It seems to work with both since I sometimes get light and sometimes dark rye flour, so if you have the choice, go for what you prefer.

        1. Thank you, John! I already found a good source and now I have two giant sacks of flour (rye & spelt) in my pantry :-)

          1. 5 stars
            Schmeckt wie Heimat!

            Tastes just like home, thank you, I missed my Rye Bread so much.
            I used a Dutch Oven instead, closed lid for half the time, without lid for the other half, cause I wanted to be certain my crust is nice and crispy!

          2. 5 stars
            Dear Barbara,

            After many attempts at wheat free and even gluten free breads that looked fine but tasted like disappointement I tried your recipe! It is easy, forgiving and delicious, thank you sooo much. I have been making it for 5 months and now ordered a 25kg bag of rye flour to meet my new habit ?.
            For a French/German person that has had to cut out delicious breads totally for the last 10 years you have made 2020 a wonderful tasty and affordable bread year. So I just wanted to send you a big thank you ?.
            Do you have any other wheat free yummy recipes I could try next?

          3. Hi Clemence,
            you are very welcome! There is also a recipe with Spelt flour on the blog if you can eat that, maybe try that?
            Best,
            Barbara

          4. Can’t wait to make your rye loaf, Barbara. All your advice appears sagacious. I wonder if you could please tell from whom you order your flours?

  35. Dear Barbara,

    Thanks so much for sharing the recipe of 100% rye sourdough! It is wonderful recipe, works like a charm even when I am not so precise as you using scale and weights. Looking forward to do more of your dishes!

    Yuri

  36. Pingback: 100% Rye Bread 2.0 – Grey Street Bakery

  37. This was my first time baking sourdough bread and it turned out great! I used organic whole wheat rye flour. I also noticed that my sourdough had doubled already after 12 hours, but I mixed the dough after 22 hours, and it was still doubled in size. Question: you say in the video that the first rising is 30 min and the second one 1 hour. But in the written recipe itโ€™s 1 hour for both. Which is correct? I did 45 min for rye the first rising.

    1. Hi Maria,
      actually, both is correct. Sometimes it takes 30 minutes, sometimes longer. In my case, it took a little longer, so I adjusted the time in the blog post. What you need to look out for, is that the dough should have a clearly visible rise. Depending on room temperature and other factors, this can be after 30 minutes or later.
      I hope I could clear this up a little.
      Best, Barbara

  38. Hi! Iโ€™d like to make it in a loaf pan. Any suggestions on the rising times? Can I just skip the first one-hour rise?

    1. Hi TF,
      I would not skip the first rise. Put it into the loaf pan after the first rise and some folding. Unfortunately, I can’t help with the rising time in a loaf pan since I’ve never done it like that. I would look for a rising of at least 1/3 of the size. Let me know it that worked.
      Best,
      Barbara

      1. 5 stars
        This is what I did: I used a heavy loaf pan and after mixing predough and bread dough, poured it right in. This avoids handling the sticky dough with one’s hands and is quicker as well. Then I conflated the two rises to one 2-hour rise during which the dough puffed up nicely; and then off into the oven at 400F (I lowered it after an hour to 375F). Total baking time 1:45h (as all other breads I bake in that pan). I also added caraway. And voila! Perfection.

        This is the first recipe of 100% rye that worked for me (and I tried a bunch). Highly recommended. The video was also super helpful, reminding me of the quirks of rye. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

        1. 5 stars
          This is interesting. When you mixed the predough and bread dough, did that include kneading by folding as shown in the video or did you just mix by spoon?

  39. I useally preheat Dutch oven 250 C sufficiently. I put the dough on the parchment paper. Put it into the Dutch oven together with 3-4 cubes of ice between the wall and parchment paper.
    Bake at 250 C for 24 minutes then open the lid. Reduce the oven temperature to 220 C and bake for more 16 minutes.
    Total baking time is usually 40min in my convection oven.
    It is depends on oven’s characteristics. If you wish more dark brown color of bread, increase baking times more.

  40. Hi,
    What The point of the honey and is there a substitute ? Or can I omit it ? Iโ€™m allergic to it….
    Thanks ! Gonna try your recipe!

    1. Hi Lola,
      you can leave it out or substitute with a little bit of sugar. The honey is mostly for the taste and might also help a little with the fermentation but it is not essential.
      Have fun baking!
      Barbara

  41. Hi there, can I bake the bread in a Dutch oven? If so would the timing be the same?
    Thank you!
    Magdalena

    1. You can bake it in a dutch oven but I don’t know how that will affect the baking time.

    2. Hi Magdalena, did you try the Dutch oven? Would love to know as I thought sourdough needs the steam for the the first 30 minutes….thank you!

  42. Your bread recipe is wonderful, it came out great from the first attempt, which is not always a case. Thanks for putting so much work into sharing your knowledge, it is very much appreciated.

  43. I’ve tried A LOT of 100% rye bread recipes and this one is ABSOLUTELY DELICIOUS! I’ll never try another recipe again. Thank you so much for sharing!

  44. Hi , Lina here. I love the recipie I’m going to bake my bread tonight. After spending almost two weeks culturing my rye sourdough starter I’ll finally be able to use it. I wanted to ask a quick question. what happens if I add some all purpose flower to the mix? I noticed some recipes require to mix in rye and wholewheat but no one ever mentions all purpose.
    Looking forward to your reply and input.

    Regards,

    1. Hi Lina,
      You can add AP flour to your bread dough. There is a bread recipe on this blog, where I am doing that. I hope your bread turns out perfectly!
      Best, Barbara

  45. 5 stars
    Hi Paulette here.my t isabit on the cooler side so I placed the pre dough in my oven with the light on. It doubled at the 30 degree temp in 12 hours. Do I wait another 12 hours or can I carry on with adding the bread dough part? Respond ASAP please.

      1. 5 stars
        I waited a little longer. I doubled the recipe and will have two loaves. They are resting/rising for another hour now 1 am. I love this recipe adding the honey is superb and prevent it drying out after being baked. Iโ€™ll send photos. I keep wanting to put it in my cast iron Dutch oven.

  46. Great recipe, thanks. I think you mean “flour” not “flower” in your headline though.

        1. There are two ways to make a bread rise: 1)yeast 2)sourdough.
          This bread is made with sourdough instead of yeast. Check out my post about sourdough in the bake / bread section of the blog.
          Best,
          Barbara

  47. Hi Barbara
    Iโ€˜ll be trying 100% rye for the first time. My question to you is, have you tried mixing with Spelt flour as well? What shoul I expect?

    Thank you,
    Fabiana

    1. Hi Fabiana, you can use some spelt flour in this recipe. Just be careful with the amount of water. Spelt flour might not need as much water as rye flour. So add the water slowly and if the dough seems to have the right consistency (as in the video), you can stop adding it.
      I hope it turns out well, have fun baking!
      Barbara

  48. I’m new to this bread baking business so I have to ask, can the sourdough/yeast survive the heat of the flour/boiled water mixture?

    Other than my confusion on this, I want to try this recipe.

    Thanks for posting

    1. Hi Peter,
      this is a very good question and I mention in in the video: You first have to mix the boiling water with the flour, mix that together and only then the temperature has cooled enough to add the sourdough. I hope this helps to clear it up. Have fun and hopefully a successful baking!
      Barbara

    1. I’m not sure. You could add a little sugar instead but I assume you want to skip anything sweet, so just try it. I think it will work without honey, too, but have never tried it.

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