Delicious Homemade Rye Bread doesn’t get much simpler than this bakery style artisan bread. Caraway and rye flour gives the bread its distinct flavor. And guess what? No machines required! You can make this bread by hand!
Rye is one of our family favorites, but we can never find it in our local bakeries. It is a bread that is full of flavor and brings an interesting twist to sandwiches. Classic sandwiches using rye bread are pastrami on rye, tuna on rye, and corned beef on rye, but you could use rye in a variety of different sandwiches to bring out a new flavor. Or you can go the route of my children who just devour it plain. Seriously, who would have thought little kids would love rye bread so much?
This recipe is super simple to put together, gives some great bread making techniques, and makes a lovely light rye. I’ve also included instructions for a dark rye that has cocoa powder and molasses in it if you’d like to try your hand at that.
How to make Bakery Style Rye Bread:
The key to making great bakery-style bread at home is all in the method. Bakeries use steam ovens to get that wonderful chewy crust. You can create your own steam oven by placing a shallow pan of water in the oven with your bread. The water will evaporate in the heat, filling your oven with steam.
Using a baking stone or pizza stone is vital to creating both the perfect crust and the perfect crumb. Bakeries use fancy ovens of the masonry variety. See, the oven in your house cooks using radiated (the flame or the electrical elements) and convected heat (the air moving around the oven. A convection oven has fans to assist in the circulation of the air). A masonry oven is able to use conduction on top of convection and radiated heat. Masonry ovens utilize stone, just as their name suggests. Stone retain heat really well. When you put a loaf of bread directly on a hot stone, the stone transfers its heat to the bread through conduction. So when you use a pizza/baking stone, you are literally adding a third heating method into your oven. Isn’t that awesome? There’s your science lesson for the day!
Don’t have a mixer? No problem! Watch the video below where I show you how to make this bread by hand! No machines required. It’s THAT simple!
This recipe first appeared on The Stay At Home Chef on January 30, 2013
Really happy with my load today. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I am wondering why you do not use oil in this recipe? P Will it be dry without the oil? Peggy McKay
Most breads like this don’t require any fat.
Hi:
There is no kneading process? I am curious if there is no kneading process, why use a mixer? Am i right to say it is a no knead bread?
Regards
Simon
Once it comes together, that’s enough kneading. There’s no need for extra kneading in this recipe.
Hi Rachel:
I made the bread, the amount of AP flour were more than 4 cup, at 3 cup + the mixture was way too wet. I am using Gold Medal AP Flour and light Japanese Rye Flour. I am trying to make this Rye Bread for my wife (she is in her mission of Losing Weight !)
Any Tips ?
Simon
It’s probably how you are measuring your flour that is giving you a smaller overall amount. Just add more until the dough feels right.
Hi Rachel;
Any chance to measure flour by weight (gram) ?
Hi Ra1.chel
In the video you mention 1 1/2 tablespoon of salt, however, in the instruction you say 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt. Which is it?
teaspoons. It was a slip of the tongue .
Rachel, that seems like a lot of yeast to me. My batches of more or less basic white bread only has 3 tbsp in it and about 34 cups of flour in total. Just wondering what your thoughts on this are. I’ve not made much rye bread though.
The recipe is correct as written.
Hi, I’m looking forward re d to making this bread, bug I was wondering do you have to do anything different if yu don’t want the seeds ( seedless) loaf.?
Nope, nothing different.
Love this rye bread recipe! So easy! Such a delicious crust too! I will be making this bread many times!
I tried your recipe today and I was so impressed with how easy it was and it tasted delicious. Thank you for sharing and posting the video it is so easy to follow. Pass thank you for the tips too?
I found the water to flour ratio. A standard rye bread has a little over cups of flours for each cup of water. Decrease the water to 1 1/2 cups and it works much better. Also the printed instructions don’t mention dividing the dough for two loaves/
I have been making bread for years but this recipe gave me one of the best results I’ve ever had. I was a little sceptical at first with no proofing, no sugar and no kneading but I went with it and was very happy I did. The crust was wonderfully crispy and the flavour and texture of the bread were delicious. Thank you!
So this makes 2 loaves?? How do you bake them both at the same time on a round stone?
My stone is pretty big. I’ve never had a problem fitting two loaves on it.