Rye bread

Make sure your Rye Sourdough Starter is active and bubbly — feed it 4–8 hours before you begin or use it at peak activity.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the lukewarm Water and about half of the active starter; whisk gently until mostly blended.

Add the Rye Flour, the dissolved Sea Salt, and the Caraway Seeds to the bowl; stir together into a sticky, shaggy dough. Pour in a little Neutral Oil (about 1–2 tablespoons) to smooth the dough and help with handling.

Cover the bowl and let the dough rest (autolyse) for 30 minutes — this helps the rye hydrate and develop flavor.

Because rye has less gluten, skip vigorous kneading: perform 3–4 sets of gentle stretch-and-folds over the next 1–2 hours (lift a portion of the dough and fold it over itself), allowing the dough to relax between sets.

Bulk ferment the dough at room temperature until it has risen noticeably and shows some air bubbles on the surface; depending on starter strength and room temp this can take 3–6 hours.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly oiled surface, shape it into a tight loaf or place it into a greased loaf pan or banneton. If using a banneton, dust it lightly with flour. Cover and proof at room temperature for 1–3 hours, or retard in the refrigerator overnight for more flavor and easier handling.

About 30–45 minutes before baking, preheat your oven to 230°C (450°F). If you have a baking stone or Dutch oven, place it in the oven to heat; set up a way to create steam (a tray of hot water or a covered Dutch oven works well).

Score the loaf with a sharp blade, transfer it to the oven, and bake with steam at 230°C (450°F) for 15–20 minutes to promote oven spring and a good crust. Then reduce the temperature to 200°C (390°F) and continue baking for another 25–35 minutes until the crust is deeply browned and the loaf sounds hollow when tapped.

Remove the bread from the oven and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing — at least 2 hours. Cooling lets the crumb set and improves slicing and flavor.