Instructions: Does anyone out there have any experience making whole grain rye bread with NO trace of wheat or added gluten? (With Sourdough or Yeast)

Ive tried to bake with whole grain home milled rye flour, but So far, Ive only managed to create giant sticky blobs,and during proofing, the blob just oozes out sideways.

I dont "know" much about making rye bread except how to do it. So I cant really explain what your problem is. I know of two basically different approaches to rye bread. You can either make a regular dough that needs kneading, or a rather thick porridge using whole grains that are left to set via water absorption. (Ive posted a recipe of this second type here a few days ago.) Since I dont know what your approach is, I cant comment on your problem, but I can tell you how kneaded rye bread is made in Denmark.

The sourdough we use for rye bread is made from buttermilk and rye flour left uncovered for a day or two, then loosely covered and stirred regularly for another 3-5 days until it smells right. 3/4 cup is enough for a large loaf.

Use water, sourdough, salt and rye flour. Replace some of the water with dark beer for better flavor, or add some malt. Make a dough that is somewhat wetter than for white bread, and let it rest a good half hour or more. On my grandmothers advice:

1/2 to 1 cup sourdough
1/2 to 1 Tbsp. sea salt, (or Kosher salt)

1 cup lukewarm water

Stir these together until well mixed. Add the following:

1 1/2 pound rye flour, (a fairly coarse grind)

(For those who dont mind wheat: replace slightly under 1/2 pound of the rye with regular all-purpose flour. This will produce a chewier bread with a slightly lighter texture.)

Hold back a little of the rye to see if you need it all. You might need more. Rye flour takes longer to absorb water than wheat flour, and that is why it needs to seem "wet" just after mixing. Leave it in a large, flat bowl to rest (to prevent "oozing"). Then knead the dough on your countertop or in the bowl by punching the middle thin and folding the sides over the middle repeatedly. My grandmother does this for about 10 minutes, and the dough becomes smoother and more elastic as she works it. Dont expect it to achieve the texture of of white bread dough.

Save a 3/4 cup lump of dough at this stage, if you plan to make the bread again. Put in a jar with a tight-fitting lid, sprinkle salt on top, and refrigerate for up to a month.

Shape the dough into an elongated loaf and press it into a well-greased 2 to 2 1/4 quart loaf tin. (If using anything smaller the baking times below will be off.) Run a wet hand over the top, cover with a damp towel, and leave to rise to near double size, typically 4-6 hours, in a warm place.

What ends up coming out of the oven is more like a giant elongated rye falafel, than a loaf of bread. (So far, Ive used Yeast rather than sourdough, since I am still learning how to handle this stuff

(Rye))

Run a wet hand over the top of the bread again before placing in heated oven. Bake at a much lower temperature than you would for wheat. 1/2 hour at 200 C followed by 1 1/2 hour at 175 Celsius is probably about right. A bamboo skewer inserted into the middle should come out free of large bits of dough, but slightly sticky to the touch. Take it out of the oven, sprinkle a little cold water on the crust if it seems very hard, and leave to cool on a rack covered by a slightly damp towel.

This traditional bread is supposed to be a little sticky on the inside when it is freshly baked. It is also supposed to be sliced very thinly, revealing a thick, dark crust (which frankly is a little hard on your teeth) and a moist brown bread with many, many little airbubbles. It should taste distinctly sour.

This bread is best at least a day after it is baked. It will keep for a week or so.

Leonards "The bread book" instructs to use more water with Rye than with wheat, but my experience so far is that exactly the opposite is true.

Again, I think you need to be patient before beginning to work the dough. Give the rye time to absorb the water.

[accidental snip]

shape the loaf, I pretend the blob is a chunk of clay (it looks just like clay) and I use wet hands rather than flour on my hands.

This shouldnt be necessary with the recipe Ive given you.

Experiment, take notes of what you do, and change baking times, temperatures, or wetness of dough next time if you arent satisfied. Good luck doesnt hurt either. Best wishes...

P.S. Like I said in the other recipe for Danish rye bread, I think it would tremendous fun if you have success with the recipe to send its creator a postcard. My grandmother would be thrilled. She originally came from the Faroe Islands in the 1930s, taking this recipe with her. I dont know where it originated, but she received it from her older sister with a lump of sourdough before my grandmother set sail for Denmark. Her address is as follows:

Brynhild Kirk
Peder Gydes Vej 57
6700 Esbjerg
Denmark

No obligations, of course. :)

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