9/30/2010 - 100% Sourdough Rye Bread

Next on my list of sourdoughs: 100% sourdough rye. This is one that I was not excited to make. The description preceding the formula says that rye has so little gluten that it's hard to develop structure and lift for a pleasing crumb without adding wheat flour, and then goes on to say, "However, there are many people who love dense rye bread." I was pretty sure I wasn't going to be one of those people. When I say that a bread is "dense," I don't mean it as a compliment.

This formula can take two or three days; I made it in two. The first day, I mixed the firm rye starter, combining some of my refreshed sourdough barm with rye flour and water. I should note that I used my regular sourdough barm, made using wheat flour, so this technically isn't 100% rye bread. But it's close enough. This starter fermented at room temperature until doubled, which took close to 6 hours, and then was refrigerated overnight. While my starter was rising, I mixed up the soaker from equal parts pumpernickel-grind rye flour (which is a coarser grind than standard rye flour) and water. The soaker sat at room temperature overnight. The following day, I mixed the dough and briefly kneaded it. Apparently if you over-knead rye dough it gets gummy. I have no experience with this, but I'll take PR's word on it. I did not enjoy working with this dough. The lack of gluten gives it a completely different feel that that of normal yeasted bread. I let the dough rise to double, then shaped my two loaves and left them to proof. I baked them hearth style directly on the pan they proofed on.

As expected, I didn't care for this bread. It was dense. Also, I didn't like the flavor. I can't think of any redeeming qualities that can make up for bad flavor and texture. J4 and J5 both liked it, so I guess the flavor and texture weren't necessarily bad, just not to my liking. This is one that I'm checking off the list and never revisiting.