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Light Rye Sourdough Bread is one of my all time favourite sourdough recipes. Nothing captures the essence and flavour of sourdough better than rye. But rye is frequently misunderstood; while it makes a great bread on its own, it can also be used with a light touch to enhance and bring out other flavours. 
In this recipe, the rye flour is used very sparingly - in fact, at only about one tenth of the total flour weight - and yet it absolutely transforms the finished product.
The Light Rye Sourdough Bread from this recipe is very suitable for daily use, but also is great with poached eggs, salmon, sardines, blue cheese, bacon, marmalade and/or fig jam. I really like the slightly tangy flavour and the soft texture.
If you want to go further into the various stages of rye bread, have a look at medium rye sourdough and 100% Rye Sourdough recipes for more information and recipes.
This version is made from the 'Old Dough' method, meaning it's easy to make if you are an occasional sourdough baker, but later I will document the standard 'wet' sourdough method as well. There is very little difference in product, just the method is designed with a reserved amount in mind.
Light Rye Sourdough Recipe from the 'Old Dough Method'
You'll need:
1.2 kg of organic white flour (regular plain flour will do if you are unable to access organic flour, or are a cheapskate, like me, at times...
 100 grams of organic rye meal
300 grams of old dough 
700 - 800 ml of warm water
26 grams of cooking salt 
Method:
Mix the warm water with the old dough, and break up the old dough with your fingers, till it's in quite small chunkettes. 
Leave to stand for 15 minutes.
Add in the flours and stir with one hand until they start to come together. Knead with both hands roughly till they form a big chunk of dough, no matter how rough. One piece is what we're after.
Allow to rest for an hour or so. 
Cut off a 300 gram chunk and reserve in a small plastic container with a loose fitting lid for your next baking session. Keep this in the fridge. Check out 'Old Dough Method' for more info.
 Add salt by wetting the dough with either a spray gun or wet hands, sprinkling the salt over the top of the wet dough. Knead it in until combined, which will be when the salt can't be felt as you knead. Round the dough, and leave with the seam on the bottom.
Let the finished dough rest and rise for about twelve to twenty four hours, depending on the season. It's ready when you poke it and there is little, if any, resistance. It feels like it has given up. Your finger marks will stay there for a while. If it resists, it isn't ready.
Now cut the dough into two chunks of roughly one kilogram each. Round them, with the seam at the bottom. Rest for an hour or more. Again, if you poke the dough and it resists, it isn't ready yet. On the other hand, if it feels like it is giving in, it's ready.
Now form into two cylinders, just by squeezing the bottom in with the outside of both hands, as if you are holding an open book. Rye is more like plasticine than dough - you'll find that it can be manipulated quite easily. The less handling you do with rye, the better.
Spray or wipe with water, and dust with semolina flour. Place in pre oiled bread tins. 
Slash with 3 diagonal cuts, or whatever suits your style. Allow to rise, covered, for a couple of hours - until the dough fills the tins. If you touch it lightly, it will be quite delicate. At this point, you can't really mess things up, so be confident in allowing the dough to rise as much as you can.
Bake at 180 degrees or less for 45 minutes to an hour. This Rye Bread will crust quite quickly, but this will soften when the bread cools. For a good, thick crust, wind the temperature down to 160 degrees after 20 minutes and bake an extra 15 minutes.
Check out the info in this site for more detail.
Other Sourdough Recipes in this site include:
Basic Sourdough Recipe, using a wet starter
White Sourdough, using the old dough method
White Spelt Sourdough Bread Recipe
Wholemeal Spelt Sourdough Recipe
Wholemeal Sourdough Bread (Old Dough) Recipe
Basic Sourdough Recipe 2 (Old Dough Technique)
Medium Rye Sourdough (Old Dough) Recipe
Continental Bread (Semi Leaven) Recipe
Light Wholemeal Bread (Semi Leaven) Recipe
Light Rye Bread (Semi Leaven) Recipe
Please feel free to use this site as a resource for simple sourdough recipes. If you want to learn more about sourdough breadmaking at home, please have a look at some of the many specialist artisan breadmaking books available for sale through this site.
For more Sourdough Breadmaking information, recipes and resources - read on!
If you would like to flesh out your knowledge about sourdough breadmaking at home, have a look at the Recommended Reading section. I have listed a number of my all time favourite breadmaking books there. Follow the links if you would like to purchase any of the books online. Remember, if you buy a book through this site, it will help me to continue building this free sourdough breadmaking resource.
Have a look at SourdoughBaker's Online Shop. A dedicated shop for the keen home baker.
Some of the things you'll find in the SourdoughBaker Shop include:
- Tools and Utensils for the home baker, including things that you might have to pay too much for locally
- Books and articles about Artisan breadmaking and pastrycookery, including specialist compliations
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You can find direct links to any of the sourdough recipes in this site by following your favourite looking recipe below:
As always, Happy Sourdough Baking!
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