Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød)

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4.9 from 145 votes

Danish Rye Bread (Rugbrød) is a dense, hearty loaf made from a blend of rye flours, cracked and whole rye berries, and seeds, fermented long for sour flavor. The combination of dark rye, flaxseeds, sunflower seeds, and beer with buttermilk results in a moist, textured bread with a complex taste typical of Scandinavian-style rye breads.

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 30 mins

Additional Time

1 d

Total Time

1 hr 45 mins

Servings: 20 slices

Calories: 277 kcal

Course: Bread

Cuisine: Danish

Ingredients

2 cups water lukewarm
2 teaspoons dry active yeast
2 tablespoons sugar
2 1/2 cups dark rye flour
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 3/4 cup rye berries very briefly pulse whole rye berries in a strong blender or food processor until they're broken up into coarse pieces OR smash them in a heavy duty bag with a meat mallet or other heavy object, cracked
1/2 cup rye berries whole
1 1/4 cup flaxseeds whole
1 1/3 cup sunflower seeds pumpkin seeds and/or chopped almonds, or combination of sunflower seeds
3 teaspoons salt
1 cup dark beer (see note)
1 cup buttermilk vegan: 1 cup almond milk mixed with 2 tablespoons cider vinegar) (I often use homemade kefir in place of buttermilk, or kefir
rolled oats traditional, for sprinkling

Instructions

Cup of Yum

Stir the yeast and sugar into the lukewarm water and let sit for 10 minutes until the yeast is frothy.
Combine all the dry ingredients in the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the yeast mixture, beer and buttermilk. Stir to combine.Fit the stand mixer with a dough hook and knead on the bread setting ("2") for 10 minutes. The dough will be very sticky, loose and not remotely malleable (ie, incapable of being shaped).Scoop the dough into a very large non-metallic bowl with plenty of head space (the dough will bubble up). Cover loosely with plastic wrap and let it rest in a warm place (room temperature) for 24-48 hours, depending on how sour you want the bread to be (be sure to ferment it for at least 24 hours to ensure enough of the liquid is absorbed). If you're only letting it ferment for 24 hours we recommend first soaking the whole rye berries overnight before using them (drain thoroughly).
Line a 9x5x3 inch bread loaf pan with parchment paper (SEE NOTE). Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.Scoop all of the dough into the lined bread pan, pressing down as needed. (It's a lot of dough but it will fit.) Brush the top with water and sprinkle over evenly with the rolled oats.Bake on the middle rack for 100-120 minutes or until the center is done. For best and most accurate results use an instant read thermometer and aim for an internal temperature of 210 degrees F.Let the loaf cool for 5 minutes before removing it from the pan. Let the loaf cool completely before slicing. Keep stored in an airtight container. To prolong its shelf life I recommend storing it in the refrigerator or freeze part of it if you know it will take you a while to go through it.

Notes

Lightly spray parchment paper with oil before lining the pan to prevent sticking when removing the baked bread.
Soaking whole rye berries overnight before use helps reduce fermentation time to 24 hours without compromising texture.
Beer can be substituted with water or more buttermilk, depending on flavor preference.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1slice Calories 277kcal (14%) Carbohydrates 40g (13%) Protein 10g (20%) Fat 10g (15%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Cholesterol 1mg (0%) Sodium 366mg (15%) Potassium 225mg (5%) Fiber 9g (36%) Sugar 2g (4%) Vitamin A 25IU (1%) Vitamin C 0.2mg (0%) Calcium 63mg (6%) Iron 2.7mg (15%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 20 slices

Amount Per Serving

Calories 277

% Daily Value*

Serving	1slice
Calories	277kcal	14%
Carbohydrates	40g	13%
Protein	10g	20%
Fat	10g	15%
Saturated Fat	1g	5%
Cholesterol	1mg	0%
Sodium	366mg	15%
Potassium	225mg	5%
Fiber	9g	36%
Sugar	2g	4%
Vitamin A	25IU	1%
Vitamin C	0.2mg	0%
Calcium	63mg	6%
Iron	2.7mg	15%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.