Simple No Knead Sourdough Rye Bread

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Simple

Today I have for you a simple sourdough rye bread, featuring flour from Grapewood Farm. When you think simple, do you think of baking bread? Perhaps not. In our culture, the word “simple” has come to be equated with easy, fast, or requiring little effort.

I just looked up the definition of simple, and it says “not complicated or elaborate” and “easy to understand.” I think that applies to our recipe today for sourdough rye bread.

The simplicity of it is you mix up some flours with a sourdough starter and let it sit. The next day you add some more ingredients and let it sit some more. You form it, you bake it, and you have bread.

It’s simple, yet at the same time it’s wondrous how dry flour can ferment and become a nourishing food to your body. I love the weekly rhythms of baking bread and the uncomplicated nature of making food where I control the ingredients. Join me in making this recipe, and leave me a comment to let me know how it turns out.

Sourdough

Sourdough is a living culture of flour and water. Beneficial bacteria predigests the grain and in turn helps your body digest it. A sourdough starter consists of a mixture of flour and water and is “fed” on a regular basis to ensure the bacteria don’t die off.

Instead of using instant yeast, as in many commercial bread preparations, sourdough bread receives its lift from the gas given off by the bacteria. That’s right, folks, the bacteria eat the flour, give off some gas, and leaven our bread. Kind of weird, right? Just think about honey. Bees chew on nectar, pass it around to fellow bees to chew on, then store it in honeycombs. We humans eat all sorts of strange foods.

Rye

Rye is a grain similar to wheat. It has a different nutrient profile, is slightly higher in carbohydrates and is a bit lower in gluten. I use danko rye from Grapewood Farm, #70 sifted flour with bran, combined with hard red wheat flour #50 sifted.

Bread

The flavor was perfectly tangy – a combination of the sourdough starter and the flavor profile of the rye. I have some sauerkraut on hand, and I’m excited to turn this rye bread into Reuben sandwiches for my family.

What are some other ways to enjoy this Simple Sourdough Rye Bread?

• One of my favorite ways is to make it into a grilled cheese. There’s little more that I like beyond toasted bread, melted butter, and cheese. So good.
• Make two loaves of rye bread, with plans to turn the second into a savory bread pudding.
• And finally, soup and bread is a pretty common dinner around here. A pot on the dining room table, a loaf of freshly baked bread, and some butter fills us up and nourishes our bodies.

Before You Go…

Check out these other simple recipes that are worthy of your time and ready to nourish your body.

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you again soon.

Rebekah