Sour Jewish Rye: A Tangy, Chewy Masterpiece
- Brittany Bartel
- Dec 10, 2024
- 4 min read
Welcome back, bread lovers! If you’ve been following my Sourdough Sunday series on Instagram or YouTube, you know how much I adore experimenting with different styles and techniques. This week, I’m sharing a high-hydration bake: Sour Jewish Rye. It’s a chewy, flavor-packed loaf that combines the tang of sourdough, the heartiness of rye, a touch of honey sweetness, and that signature caraway seed crunch.
My husband, in-laws and I went to Capitola, CA of the Thanksgiving long weekend and found a bakery called Gayle's. This place was my heaven on Earth! The pastry cases were to die for and, of course, they has fresh bread that we just had to try. We bought a fresh loaf of Jewish rye. The family was hooked! I knew I needed to make one for myself!
I tried my hand at my first Jewish Rye last week when I forgot to buy bread for my husband's lunch sandwiches and decided to just go for it and give it a shot. Watch that attempt here:
It came out good but I wanted to try again, and this time use a loaf pan instead of open baking method. This was a journey, high-hydration dough is no joke.
Why 81% Hydration and 50% Starter? "What does that even mean?", you ask?
What is means:
Hydration % is the water-to-flour ratio in the dough, I usually go for about 70%.
50% Starter means that 50% of your dough is made up of starter, most recipes call for around 20%.
What does that mean for you?
More Flavor, Less Fuss: With a generous amount of starter, you get a tangy punch and faster fermentation. This was my goal, especially since I was making this loaf on a work/weeknight.
The Perfect Balance: The high hydration keeps it chewy and moist, giving you that classic Jewish rye experience. Rye flour brings its signature earthiness, while bread flour ensures good structure.
Sourdough Therapy: If you find sourdough cathartic (like I do), this dough’s stickiness and stretch will give you that zen moment—and a deeply satisfying bake. It may give you a freak out moment first, when trying to shape it, but it will all come together!!
Sour Jewish Rye
Ingredients:
238g sourdough starter (at 100% hydration)
331g water (room temperature)
319g bread flour
113g rye flour
25g honey
15g salt
3.5 TBSP Caraway seeds (for that classic flavor)
Step-by-Step Guide:
Mix: In a large bowl, combine the starter, water, and honey. Stir until the starter dissolves. Add the bread flour and rye flour, mixing until no dry bits remain. This dough will be sticky—that’s what we want!
Rest (Autolyse): Let it rest for 30 minutes. This gives the flour time to hydrate and kickstarts gluten development.
Salt and First Stretch: After the autolyse, add the 15g salt and perform the first stretch-and-fold. To do this, gently pull up one side of the dough and fold it over itself. Rotate the bowl and repeat on all sides.
Stretch-and-Fold Routine:
Perform 4 sets of stretch-and-folds, each 30 minutes apart. The dough will become stronger and puffier with each set.
On the 3rd stretch-and-fold, sprinkle in the caraway seeds and fold them into the dough.
Final Rise: (This step will fully depend on the temperature/humidity of your kitchen, some might need it, some might not.) After the last stretch-and-fold, let the dough rest at room temperature for 30 minutes
Chill Out: Place the dough in the freezer for 20 minutes. This helps firm it up for shaping, making the high-hydration dough easier to handle. I had to do this, this dough was a sticky mess, putting it in the freezer allowed me to shape it easier.
Shape: Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Shape it into a boule or batard, using gentle movements to preserve those lovely air pockets.
Cold Fermentation: Place the dough into a well-floured banneton (or a bowl lined with a floured kitchen towel). Cover and let it ferment in the fridge overnight, 12–16 hours. This slow fermentation develops even more complex flavor.
Bake: The next day, preheat your oven to 450°F (232°C) Carefully place the dough into a greased loaf pan, score it (this is your chance to get creative!), cover with another loaf pan, and bake for 20 minutes covered, then 15–20 minutes uncovered until golden and crackly.
Cool and Savor: Let your loaf cool completely before slicing. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!
Final Thoughts: A Rye to Remember
This sour Jewish rye is perfect with a schmear of butter, a hearty sandwich (which is what I made it for), or just torn apart and enjoyed plain. The honey adds a subtle sweetness, while the caraway seeds give that unmistakable rye bread flavor. The tangy, chewy crumb and robust rye notes will have you reaching for more!
Happy baking, friends—and see you next Sourdough Sunday!
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