Name: Three-Stage 70 Percent Sourdough Rye
Ingredients: salt; yeast; high-gluten flour; water; rye flour; basic sour; mature rye culture; full sour

Jeffrey Hamelman

Three-Stage 70 Percent Sourdough Rye

Preparation info

Difficulty
Medium
Dough Yield: About
23
loaves at 1.5 lb each

Appears in

Bread

By Jeffrey Hamelman

Published 2004

About

With 70 Percent Rye, this bread is somewhat lighter still than the two preceding Detmolder ryes. The extra white flour makes shaping a bit easier, and the finished loaves should have more volume. Observe the time and temperature requirements for the three build phases. Small adjustments in water quantities may be necessary, depending on the absorption rate of the rye flour used.

Pre-Fermented Flour: 35%

Ingredients

Overall Formula

	U.S.	Metric	Home	Baker’s %
Medium Rye Flour	14 lb	7 kg	1 lb, 6.4 oz	70 %
High-Gluten Flour	6 lb	3 kg	9.6 oz	30 %
Water	15 lb	7.5 kg	1 lb, 8 oz	75 %
Salt	.36 lb	.18 kg	.6 oz	1.8 %
Yeast	.2 lb, fresh	.1 kg, fresh	.1 oz, instant dry	1 %
Total Yield	35.56 lb	17.78 kg	3 lb, 8.7 oz	177.8 %

Freshening

Medium Rye Flour	.16 lb	.08 kg	.3 oz (1½ T)	100 %
Water	.24 lb	.12 kg	.4 oz (1 T)	150 %
Mature Rye Culture	.08 lb	.04 kg	.1 oz (1 tsp)	50 %
Total	.48 lb	.24 kg	.8 oz

Basic Sour

Medium Rye Flour	2 lb	1 kg	3.2 oz (¾ cup)	100 %
Water	1.52 lb	.76 kg	2.4 oz (¼ cup)	76 %
Freshening	.48 lb	.24 kg	.8 oz (all of above)	24 %
Total	4 lb	2 kg	6.4 oz

Full Sour

Medium Rye Flour	4.84 lb	2.42 kg	7.7 oz (1⅞ cup)	100 %
Water	4.84 lb	2.42 kg	7.7 oz (1 cup)	100 %
Basic Sour	4 lb	2 kg	6.4 oz (all of above)	82.6 %
Total	13.68 lb	6.84 kg	1 lb, 5.8 oz

Final Dough

Medium Rye Flour	7 lb	3.5 kg	11.2 oz (2¾ cups)
High-Gluten Flour	6 lb	3 kg	9.6 oz (2¼ cups)
Water	8.4 lb	4.2 kg	13.4 oz (⅝ cups)
Salt	.36 lb	.18 kg	.6 oz (1 T)
Yeast	.2 lb, fresh	.1 kg, fresh	.1 oz, instant dry (1 tsp)
Full Sour	13.6 lb	6.8 kg	1 lb, 5.7 oz (all of above minus 1 tsp)
Total	35.56 lb	17.78 kg	3 lb, 8.6 oz

Method

FRESHENING: The mature culture is dispersed in water and the medium rye flour mixed thoroughly into it. The temperature of this loose paste should be 77° to 79°F. Ripen the paste for 5 to 6 hours. During this phase, the yeast potential of the sourdough is developed.
BASIC SOUR: Mix the freshening paste into the water and then add the flour. The temperature of the basic sour should be 73° to 80°F, and the ripening time will be 15 to 24 hours (the longer the ripening time, the cooler the temperature, and vice versa). Typically, this phase is left to ripen overnight. This is the stiff phase, and if need be, a small portion of water can be added, depending on the absorption rate of the flour. During this stage, the acetic properties of the sourdough are developed.
FULL SOUR: Disperse the basic sour into the water and mix in the flour. The temperature should be about 85°F, and ripening should last 3 to 4 hours. Add more water as needed to obtain a paste of medium looseness. This is a looser build than the preceding one, during which the lactic character of the dough is developed.
MIXING: After removing a small portion of the mature sourdough, place the sourdough and all the final dough ingredients in the mixing bowl (the yeast is optional). In a spiral mixer, mix on first speed for approximately 4 minutes, then on second for 1 to 1½ minutes. The dough will be sticky, but avoid any inclination to add flour. There will be no perceptible gluten development. Desired dough temperature: 82° to 84°F.
BULK FERMENTATION: 10 to 20 minutes. Due to the high degree of souring that has occurred during the 3 development phases, very little bulk fermentation time is required before dividing the dough.
DIVIDING AND SHAPING: Divide the dough into 1.5- or 2.5-pound pieces; shape round.
FINAL FERMENTATION: About 1 hour at 82°F.
BAKING: Score the loaves with a dough docker. Bake with normal steam (open the oven vents after 3 minutes to extract moisture and allow the sides of the breads to begin firming), at 480° to 490°F for 10 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 410°F and bake for 40 to 50 minutes for a 1.5-pound loaf, about 1 hour for a loaf scaled at 2.5 pounds. Once baked, leave the loaves on cooling racks and, when fully cooled, put into tubs or wrap in baker’s linen. Let stand for at least 24 hours before slicing in order to stabilize the crumb.