Rye Bread

Rye Bread, The Recipe Grinder

Description

A no-knead rye bread with a long, slow first rise that develops flavor overnight. The dough goes straight into a screaming-hot covered pot to create a crispy crust and open crumb.

Total time: 14–21 hours (mostly hands-off)

Ingredients

Item	Amount
bread flour	250g
rye flour	150g + for dusting
table salt	7g (1¼ tsp)
instant or active dry yeast	7g
cool water (55–65°F)	380g

Tools

Items
large mixing bowl
bowl scraper or rubber spatula
plastic wrap
tea towel
4½–5½ quart heavy covered pot (dutch oven)
oven
wire rack
potholders

Recipe

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the bread flour, rye flour, salt, and yeast. Add the water and mix with a wooden spoon or your hand until you have a wet, sticky dough, about 30 seconds.

2. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature until the surface is dotted with bubbles and the dough has more than doubled in size, 12 to 18 hours.

3. Once the first rise is complete, generously dust a work surface with flour. Scrape the dough out of the bowl in one piece using a bowl scraper or spatula.

4. With lightly floured hands, lift the edges of the dough in toward the center, nudging and tucking to form a rough round shape.

5. Generously dust a tea towel with rye flour. Place the dough on the towel seam side down. Dust the top lightly with rye flour if tacky, then fold the towel loosely over the dough. Let rise in a warm, draft-free spot for 1 to 2 hours, until almost doubled.

6. About 30 minutes before the second rise is done, preheat the oven to 475°F (245°C) with a rack in the lower third. Place the covered pot on the rack to preheat as well.

7. Using potholders, carefully remove the hot pot and uncover it. Unfold the towel and quickly but gently invert the dough into the pot seam side up. Cover and return to the oven.

8. Bake covered for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue baking for 15 to 30 minutes more until the crust is a deep chestnut color.

9. Lift the bread out of the pot and place on a wire rack to cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.

Tip

In cold weather the first rise may take up to 24 hours. The dough is ready when the surface is bubbly and visibly more than doubled. For the second rise, poke the dough gently — if the indent holds, it’s ready; if it springs back, give it another 15 minutes.