Rye Sourdough Starter

Course: Breads, Breakfast, Brunch, Desserts, dinner, lunch

Cuisine: Eastern European, North American

Keyword: bread, rye, sourdough

Prep Time: 5

Fermentation: 5

Total Time: 5 5

Servings: 1-pound loaves of bread (infinite loaves if properly maintained)

Calories: 239kcal

Author: Marta Rivera

This easy recipe for Rye Sourdough Starter requires only four ingredients and a few days of hands-off activity to produce a starter essential for the best rye bread, muffins, pancakes, and cookies.

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Equipment

cheesecloth or clean kitchen towel
glass jar with tight-fitting lid for storing (at least 16-ounces)

Ingredients

4 1/2 cups (630 grams) rye flour
1 tablespoon (12 grams) cane sugar
1 tablespoon (9 grams) active dry yeast
4 1/2 cups (1 litre) filtered water warmed to 110°F (43°C)

Instructions

Combine the Ingredients (Begin 5 Days Ahead)

Add the rye flour, active dry yeast, and cane sugar to a tall (32-ounce or larger) mason jar or ceramic mixing bowl.
Stir the warm filtered water into the flour mixture with a rubber spatula or spoon until it forms a thick paste.

Ferment, Then Feed the Rye Sourdough Starter (For 4 to 6 days)

Cover the jar or bowl with a clean kitchen towel with a wide, open weave or cheesecloth.
Allow the starter to sit, covered, at room temperature for 24 hours. The yeast will begin feeding on the sugars and activate. In that time, it will expand to almost double, then fall back on itself inside the bowl.
After 24 hours, stir the starter together with a spoon or a rubber spatula.
Depending on the warmth and humidity in your kitchen, you might see a layer of liquid on the surface of the rye sourdough starter. Stir in the liquid or, if you have a crusty layer on top, stir that in as well.
Remove half of the rye sourdough starter from the bowl and transfer it to a clean glass jar.
Replace the discard with a half-cup of warm water and a half-cup of rye flour. Stir these into the starter and repeat the process of allowing it to ferment for 24 hours.
Repeat this step for 3 to 5 more days for a total of 5 to 7 days.
Always remember to stir the starter and remove the discard before feeding it.

Store and Care For Your Rye Sourdough Starter

The rye sourdough starter is ready to use after 5 days of fermentation at room temperature.
Stir the starter and transfer the entire amount to a jar to store in the refrigerator. You can also use the sourdough starter at this point.
Be sure to feed the starter again after removing the amount you need for your recipe.
Store the rye sourdough starter in a glass jar with a lid or a similar container.
The recommended feeding time is once a week. That's the optimum time between feedings since your yeast may not respond well to long periods without feedings.
You can use rye sourdough starter in many bread recipes if they include different wheat to contribute the gluten necessary to give it the proper height and chew.

Notes

Swaps and Substitutions:

You can use light, dark, or pumpernickel rye flour in this recipe.
You can omit or replace the cane sugar with an equal measure of honey, brown sugar, molasses, or agave syrup.
Replace the filtered water with distilled, tap, or spring water warmed to 110°F (43°C).

Tips and Techniques:

You can ferment the rye sourdough starter for 48 hours if you aren't a big fan of the sour flavor.
It's important to ferment rye sourdough starter at room temperature since cold air causes the active yeast organisms to go dormant (or sleep).
You can use the rye sourdough starter discard in recipes that don't require a ton of leavening, like cookies, pancakes, waffles, or muffins (after adding baking soda or baking powder).
If you have friends who are into baking, you can gift them the discard with instructions on feeding it.
Over time, metal rusts and plastic breaks down, but glass is a sure bet for storing your sourdough starter for long periods.
Be sure to refrigerate the rye sourdough starter when you're not using it.
If deep pink streaks appear inside the rye sourdough starter it has gone bad and needs to be thrown away.
The hooch can be dark grey, which is okay, but should smell sour and not putrid.

Storage Instructions:

Freezing Instructions:

You can freeze rye sourdough starter after you ferment it.

Transfer the rye sourdough starter to a freezer-safe jar or container and freeze it for up to a month.
Slowly thaw the frozen rye sourdough starter in the refrigerator, then feed it and allow it to warm up before using it.

How To Dry Rye Sourdough Starter For Storage:

Spread the fermented starter out over parchment paper or a silicone baking mat in a thin layer. Leave the starter in a dry area of your kitchen until it cracks.
Once it cracks, crumble the rye sourdough starter into a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid. For added protection against moisture, add a food-safe silica packet to the jar with your rye sourdough starter.
To use a dried sourdough starter, rehydrate 1-2 ounces with equal parts warm water, then feed it with equal parts flour and warm water.

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