This Buttermilk Rye Bread is from my neighbor, Betty, and makes a delicious loaf of bread with a tender crumb. In the past I've shared her No Canning Required Dill Pickle recipe, and how I preserved some excess asparagus that she shared from their patch and making pear wine with some of their excess pears. Betty and her husband, who have been together for over 50 years, have a nice garden and many edible plantings. They cook pretty much everything from scratch.
Betty makes this homemade rye bread in her bread machine. She uses a setting that makes the bread in 3 hours and 25 minutes. I mix up the bread in my Bosch mixer and bake it the oven. Organic rye flour is great if you have it available, and you may use light or dark rye flour.
Betty's Buttermilk Rye Bread
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, warm (or milk kefir or sour milk)
- 1 cup water, warm
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (organic caraway preferred)
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one envelope) or 2 teaspoons SAF-INSTANT yeast
- 2 cups white bread flour
- 1 1/2 cups rye flour
Directions
If using a bread machine, load ingredients in order listed and choose a setting that bakes in around 3 hours and 25 minutes.
If mixing by hand or in a mixer, blend milk, water, sugar, salt, caraway seeds, butter and yeast. You may substitute milk kefir or sour milk or buttermilk powder and additional water for the buttermilk if needed. I usually use milk kefir because that's what I have on hand. I purchased some Frontier organic caraway recently, and it really does make a difference in the flavor.
Mix until yeast and sugar are dissolved. Add flour cup by cup until a slightly sticky dough forms. Knead for six to eight minutes. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes. Punch down down dough. Let rise again until about double in size. Form into one larger loaf (9×5 bread pan) or two smaller (8×4 breadpan) and place into greased bread pan. (Stoneware pans are great if you have them available.) Place in a warm location, cover with a flour sack towel/lint free kitchen towel and let rise until double. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned.
Most of the time I double the recipe and make three medium loaves. The buttermilk keeps this recipe moist, never dry, and it makes a great sandwich bread. I love a good Reuben!
Betty's Buttermilk Rye Bread
Betty's Buttermilk Rye Bread – Easy rye bread recipe for the bread machine or mixing by hand. Great texture and real rye bread flavor.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup buttermilk, warm (or milk kefir or sour milk)
- 1 cup water, warm
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
- 2 tablespoons butter, melted
- 2 1/2 teaspoons active dry yeast (one envelope) or 2 teaspoons SAF-INSTANT yeast
- 2 cups white bread flour
- 1 1/2 cups rye flour
Instructions
- If using a bread machine, load ingredients in order listed and choose a setting that bakes in around 3 hours and 25 minutes.
- If mixing by hand or in a mixer, blend milk, water, sugar, salt, caraway seeds, butter and yeast. You may substitute milk kefir or sour milk or buttermilk powder and additional water for the buttermilk if needed. I usually use milk kefir because that’s what I have on hand.
- Mix until yeast and sugar are dissolved. Add flour cup by cup until a slightly sticky dough forms. Knead for six to eight minutes. Cover and let rise for 20 minutes. Punch down down dough. Let rise again until about double in size.
- Form into one larger loaf (9×5 bread pan) or two smaller (8×4 breadpan) and place into greased bread pan.
- Place in a warm location, cover with a flour sack towel/lint free kitchen towel and let rise until double.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 25-30 minutes, until lightly browned.
Notes
- Most of the time I double the recipe and make three medium loaves. The buttermilk keeps this recipe moist, never dry, and it makes a great sandwich bread.
This recipe is featured in my new book, “Never Buy Bread Again- 20+ Homemade Bread Recipes”. (See below.)
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Anne says
Thank you for sharing your recipe as this is the 2nd time in a week I have used it.
So delicious, I love rye bread and this one made with buttermilk is the best:)
I used my Breadman machine on #1 setting and 1% buttermilk and came out with
A light crunchy crust with perfect texture and easy slicing.
CommonSenseIdea says
I’ll make sure and tell Betty when we see her for piano lessons this week.
Seasidelinda says
I have made this bread twice and use organic plain yogurt, which when warmed becomes a liquid, in place of buttermilk. I never need the whole amount of flour….a 1/2 cup less. Many things can effect this so maybe that is the case here. Love this recipe. Thanks.
mary says
What about soda bread. So easy and quick to make.
Laurie Neverman says
I tried that once with oat flour and it didn’t work out so well, but I should try it again.
Annemieke says
Great recipe! I doubled the recipe and made two loaves. One in a bread pan the other I just shaped and put on a cookie sheet as it is. Both fabulous! I ran out of caraway seeds so in stead added sesame- and poppy seeds in the one and coconut flakes and honey (omitted the sugar) in the other. Thanks a lot!
Laurie Neverman says
Yum! That sounds great.
Kathy says
Looked high and low for simple rye bread recipe, and this was it!!! I loved the instruction,and had everything in ingredients,for a change. But during last 10 minute rise, it fell! I was so disappointed, baked it,and enjoyed it anyway. Great taste and texture! Thanks!
Laurie Neverman says
Try to get it in the oven just a bit sooner if you can. Glad you enjoyed it anyway!
julea says
hey what about coconut flour inmstead or white flour??
Laurie Neverman says
I have not tried substituting this recipe, but coconut flour tends to make a much heavier bread because it lacks gluten for loft.