Sourdough, 100% rye
Rye does not behave and I want to know why
Eighth version
Start your own line from any of Kenji's 8 versions. Their recipe becomes your v1; what you do from there is yours, and their name stays on it. Reading needs no account; making it yours does.
v8 · 12 Sept — Same again, to see if it repeats
The changes in v8
Same again, to see if it repeats
Close to the best
Close to their best. Worth keeping.
What v8 taught
“It repeats. That's the first time I can say that.”
So far
Eight versions since April 2025. The best yet is v7, after turns at v3. Last cooked 4 weeks ago.
Ingredients
wholegrain rye
water
rye starter
salt
What's been moving
Every change has been to the method, never to what goes in — steps 1, 3 and 5 most.
Method
01
Feed the 150g rye starter 12 hours ahead, 1:1 with flour and water, and leave it somewhere warm
425ml water150g rye starter
02
Mix the 500g wholegrain rye, 425ml water, starter and 10g salt to a paste, not a dough — 3 minutes with a wet hand
3 min500g wholegrain rye425ml water150g rye starter10g salt
03
Bulk 5 hours at 26 °C, until it domes and the surface cracks
5 h
04
Shape wet into a greased tin, smooth the top with a wet spoon
05
Cold retard 14 hours in the fridge
06
Bake covered at 250 °C for 20 minutes, then uncovered at 210 °C for 40 minutes
20 min
How it runs
32h 08on the table
- 32:08On the table
What it's taught its cook
Bulk, hours
The last 3 landed on the same bulk every time.