No-Knead Rye Bread

Several slices of rye bread on a cutting board.

4.60 from 61 votes

An easy, artisan-style rye bread with a crunchy crust. A touch of molasses and a measure of caraway seeds adds to the flavor depth. Baking in a Dutch oven gives this bread a crunchy top and a moist crumb.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Additional Time3

Total Time4

Course: Breads

Cuisine: American

Keyword: bread baking, Dutch oven rye bread, No-Knead Rye Bread, rye bread, rye bread with yeast

Servings: loaf

Author: Pat Nyswonger

Ingredients

3 cups (360 grams) Bread flour
½ cup (60 grams) rye flour
½ cup (60 grams) whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon caraway seeds
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
3 tablespoons molasses
1-¾ cups warm water 115°F to 125°F

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the bread flour, rye flour, whole-wheat flour, caraway seeds, salt, and the yeast.
Combine the molasses with the warm water and add to the flour mixture. Stir with a spoon until well combined.
Scrape the dough into another large bowl that has been coated with oil spray. Cover the bowl with either a damp light cloth or a sheet of plastic wrap and set in a warm, draft-free area for 3 hours.
Coat a large piece of parchment paper with cooking spray and set it aside.
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and using a bench scraper or oiled hands, fold the dough over several times and shape into a large mound.
Lift the mound of dough and place it on the center of the parchment paper, seam side down. Using the parchment paper as a sling, transfer the dough and set it, and the parchment paper into a large bowl to retain its shape while rising.
Cover the bowl and return it to the draft-free area and let rise for 30 minutes.
While the dough is rising, place a 4 to 6-quart Dutch oven into the oven and set the oven temperature at 450°F.
Remove the heated Dutch oven and remove the lid.
Using a sharp knife, scissors (or a razor blade or lame), score the bread dough on the top with a slash, (see Notes).
Lift the dough, together with the parchment paper, and carefully set it into the hot Dutch oven. Cover with the lid and return to the oven.
Bake the bread for 30 minutes, then remove the lid and continue to bake the bread an additional 8-10 minutes until golden brown.
Transfer the bread to a wire rack and cool completely before slicing.

Notes

We use bread flour for this recipe as it has more gluten than all-purpose flour. The higher gluten compensates for the low gluten in the whole wheat and rye flours.
All-purpose flour may be substituted for the bread flour, but the water should be reduced by 2 to 4 tablespoons.
1-1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast can be subbed for the instant yeast. If you use active dry yeast, dissolve it in water first.
Caraway seeds are optional but they add great flavor that compliments the rye.
For extra flavor, grind an additional tablespoon of the caraway seeds in a spice mill and incorporate with the flours.
Scoring the bread dough on the top is not mandatory but doing so will allow the bread to expand and give it more height. It also adds a nice decorative touch to the finished loaf.
Bread baked in a Dutch oven works because it holds the steam in and helps the bread rise better. This produces a lofty loaf with a crackling crust. Don't leave the lid on for the entire bake time. Remove the lid after the first 35 minutes so the crust does not get too thick.
To determine that the bread is cooked completely, tilt the bread on its side and thump the bottom. It should sound hollow. You can further check the temperature with an instant-read thermometer when done it will register 205°F when inserted into the bread.

Nutrition