This is a recipe for probably the most famous type of bread in Denmark. Rye bread or Rugbrød as it is called in Danish, is a type of bread which is packed with different seeds, grains and cracked rye and is therefore a very healthy alternative to regular white bread.
It is actually pretty easy to make a homemade rye bread – it only requires some patience.
This recipe is based on a sour dough which takes about 5 days to make. However, ones this sour dough is made it can be kept ‘alive’ and then it is faster to make the a rye bread.
See more: Full recipe for sour dough used to make Rye Bread
Outside Denmark, there are different varieties of this bread. The Danish version of rye bread is typically less sweet and has a harder crust. Rye bread is typically one of the things, from the Danish kitchen, that Danes living abroad are missing the most.
Read also: Easy recipe for Rye Bread WITHOUT sourdough
Because rye bread is more or less only made in Denmark and in some of the neighboring countries – some of the ingredients in this recipe can be hard to get a hold of if you are living in other countries. We normally add a little gravy browning to give the bread a more brown color. This should not add any taste to the bread so this can be omitted if you like.
It takes some time to make this bread. However, I absolutely think it is worth the time. I would really like to hear how it turns out for you and if you have any good tips which can improve the bread. If you can spare a minute you can make a comment below.
Ingredients
- 2 dl cracked rye kernels
- 2 dl cracked wheat
- 2 dl flax seed/linseeds
- 2 dl sunflower seeds
- 1 tbsp malt syrup (or dark syrup)
- 4 dl sour dough
- 8 dl water
- 4 dl all-purpose flour
- 4 dl rye flour
- 1 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp gravy browning (can be omitted)
Instructions
- In a large bowl; Add the cracked rye kernels, cracked wheat, flax seeds, sunflower seeds, water, malt syrup and the sour dough. Let it all soak for minimum 8 hours. This can with advantage be done in the evening, so that you can continue the morning after.
- After about 8 hours; add the rest of the ingredients and let the rye bread dough rise for about 1.5 hours.
- Divide the dough into two portions and pour it into two normal bread pans. Cover the bread pans with some plastic foil. Let the dough rise for about 1-2 hours or until the bread pan is full of dough.
- Bake the rye breads at 180 C (360 F) for about 1 hour.
- When done; remove the breads for the bread pans and let them cool off. When the breads are cooled off; keep them in an air tight container or a plastic bag.
Video
Lucy
Can you convert dl to grams with t h e dry ingredients or is it really by volume?
Louise Dam
Hi Lucy
Actually I measure by volume in this recipe – it seemed easier.
Lucy Torndahl
Thank you so much. It is a fabulous recipe!
Louise Dam
Hi Lucy,
Thank you for your comment. I’m happy you liked the recipe! :-)
Lila
Do you have the flour measurements in weight? How do you measure flour by volume?
Kim Nielsen
Hi. Sorry, I don’t have the measurement in weight. That is a mistake from my side – I always convert the volume to weight when I cook
However, I must have forgot it this time.
Lucy Lou
this looks like the bread I always used to bake, I am German, and this is my all time favorite bread.
Bee
What is the measurement of the bread pan? I
John McC
Sikke en overraske. Jeg kan lave rugbrød i NewJersey. This is a great recipe. I go to Danmark every year and I just love the bread there. I never imagined I could make my own. At first I was a bit intimidated about making a starter but following your instructions it was actually quite simple. After the first bread and maintaining the starter it is now really active. I ended up making one large bread and had to adjust my cooking time accordingly. I can’t tell you how excited I am about making this bread, Mange tak. Now I can make a potato sandwich like I get in my favorite cafe Dyrehaven on Sønder Blvd in København. I love your webpage.
Kim Nielsen
Hi John. Mange tak for din kommentar. I’m happy that you like the Ryebread and that you have had success with the recipe. I have lived in the states for some time so I’m absolutely familiar with the feeling of getting some homemade Ryebread :) Regards Kim
Richard
about 28grams is one ounce
mihai
Exactly ..use grams. I hate the volumes
Angela
Hi has anyone converted this to grams yet? To be honest I have never come across “dl”, what is this?
Kim Nielsen
Hi. “dl” means deciliters and is a way of measuring volumen in Europe. 1 dl = 1 deciliter = 2/5 US cups
hester
Hi Kim,
Recipe looks great. I deciliter is actually 4/5 of a cup US
gabriel Flutur
And how much has a cup? Thanks
Louise Boudreau
! dl = 100 ml
Andrea
Kim, I’ve just started making the bread again and put all the ingredients in at once by a mistake. Do you think this will ruin the recipe or just make it more sour?
Kim Nielsen
It’s hard to say. However, I would just try to mix it well together, let the dough rise and then bake it like described in the recipe. I hope that it will turn out great.
Andrea
I am curious what size pans you use. Do you ever bake the bread in a Pullman loaf pan with a lid?
Kim Nielsen
I normally use my 35 x 14 x 6 centimeter loaf pan (14 x 5.5 x 2 inch). A Pullman loaf pan would also work but I would not use the lid when baking.
Christine
Thank you so much for this recipe! I lived in Denmark for a year and loved the rye bread there. Now I live in the UK, where it is hard to get good bread. That is not so easy for a German! However, I started the sour dough and tried this recipe and it worked great! I love the taste and it feels a bit like I am back in Denmark! I also regularly bake your Kanelstang and it is fantastic every time I do it. Not as pretty, I have to admit, but lovely flavor. Keep on bringing great recipes!
Louise Dam
Hi Christine
I’m so happy to hear you liked our recipe for rye bread – and also the Kanelstang. It’s also one of our many favourite recipes.
Alanna
Hello – your video and the printed recipe have a slightly different process. The video adds the syrup and browning before the 8 hour soak, and the recepie doesn’t mention to add it until “add all other ingredients” after. Which is correct? Thanks
Louise Dam
Hi Alanna,
You can do both. But I found out it was actually easier to add the syrup and browning before the soaking. And I made the video after the writing and photos :-)
Wendy Bredahl
Hi, trying to make this in UK for my Danish husband. The question that I have is on all purpose flour. For bread I normally use strong white flour, but looking at all purpose flour on the internet it says it is plains flour. Which should I be using for this recipe as it is very confusing!
Louise Dam
Hi Wendy,
I’m not sure but maybe it is called Plain White Flour in the UK?
Richard
plain flour means no yeast in it, the alternative is self raising flour which has yeast in it…
Angela
Hi
All purpose flour is plain flour (low gluten content). Strong flour is usually used for bread but this bread has a dense structure and low gluten content meaning the bread dough will be more cake like rather than stretchy like a bread or pizza dough.
With reference to a comment below neither flours will contain yeast, self raising flour is simply plain flour with raising agents added – usually baking powder.
Max
Hi,
First time ever making bread. i followed the instructions but the loaf came out quite flat and raw in the middle. My hunch is I didn’t leave the dough in the bread pan for long enough, or, the sourdough didn’t gain enough yeast. Any suggestions?
Kim Nielsen
Hi Max. I’m sad to hear about this mistake. But you are absolutely right. It might be the sourdough which was not good enough or that the bread did not rise long enough. Have you tried one more time and how was the result then? Regards Kim.
Lawrence Leason
Hi there can you tell me at what stage the sourdough should be at when you add it to the dry ingredients at the start – does it need to have been refreshed previously ? Ie another 8 hours before you add it to the grains? Thanks.
Kim Nielsen
Hi. Normally I add the sour dough when it has small bobles on top, like described in my post about sour dough here on my blog. This typically happens on day five of the ‘groth’ of the sour dough. If I have some sour dough in the fridge, I normally take it out 24 hours before I need it, refeed it and then let it sit on my counter top for 24 hours.
Lucy Torndahl
I just want to thank you again, t=you have made so many people happy with this bread. Everyone who tries it says says it is the best bread they have ever had! I have such fun with it! I use the ratios you have and have tried many different flours and grains and seeds and it always turns out GREAT!
Kim Nielsen
Hi Lucy. Thank you very much for your comment. I really enjoy hearing that you like the recipe. I will also say that this is the best rye bread I have ever had and I’m from Denmark where we eat rye bread every day :-) Regards Kim
Lucy Torndahl
My husband is a Dane, and until I found this recipe I had failed at making it in the US. I had brought back the packs from Bilka and never could get it even close. Now we don’t have to wait to visit to enjoy it, and your Frikadeller, oh my! Plus lately I have been using the whey from my yogurt making in place of the water. It is amazing how forgiving this recipe is to my experiments. Buckwheat, Teff, Kamut, Millet, red oats, it doesn’t mater what grains I add, it is always GREAT! Thank you!
Kim Nielsen
Then I can believe your husband love this Rye Bread. Yes, you are absolutely right. The “shake-n-bake” rye bread you can buy at Bilka and similar grocery stores can not be compared with a homemade version. I think it’s nice that you have experimented with different types of grains – I will definitely remember this the next time I make this bread. Thanks for the tip :-)
Lucy Torndahl
now if I could get the Karry Salat right, now that would be a win!
Kim Nielsen
As of now, I don’t have a recipe ready for Karry Salat. However, this will be on my to-do list :-)
Sarah
I am so excited by your flours comment. I am gluten free, and need a wheat free alternative. Which flours have you tried? Did it change cooking times? Thanks in advance!
Nic Clark
Hi, thanks for the recipe and the great blog… My wife is Danish and we loved there for a year, I have been converted to ryebread! However, the bread did not turn out quite right for me – it rose well and looked promising but the middle is soggy! Could this be the sourdough or might I have done something wrong?
Kim Nielsen
Hi Nic. Thanks for your nice words. When the middle is soggy it sounds like a problem with the temperature during the baking of the bread. Maybe the temperature in the oven was a bit too low?
Stephanie
This looks great but can I use dry yeast instead of sourdough starter?
Kim Nielsen
Hi Stephanie. That is actually a good question. I don’t know but I think it might work. I always use sour dough. However, if you try it with dry yeast I would really like to hear how it turns out. Regards Kim
Danny
Yes you can, I made a faux starter of:
100g Dark Rye Flour
100g of Bread Flour
1 Packet of Active/Instant Yeast
450g Water
Mix to combine and it should give you just a little more than you need for this recipe. Just add the starter to the seeds like they show in the video.
Kristin Cleveland
Thank you for your recipes. Our family is hosting a Danish exchange student and we can’t wait to make some of your recipes. Thank you!
Kim Nielsen
Your are welcome. That sounds great, I’m sure your exchange student will love you for that. I’ll also recommend you to try the Danish Pork Meatballs . Regards Kim
Jonathan Hansen
Kim
My bread is always delicious but the last batch was crumbly; did I let it rise too long before baking? Some recipes suggest poking the bread with a skewer before putting it in the oven. What say?
Thanks,
.
Kim Nielsen
Hi. Hmm, that’s difficult to say for sure. Poking the bread before baking is a good idea to avoid the top from breaking but normally this should not be necessary. Did you maybe add too little water?
Jonathan Hansen
Hello Kim. I don’t believe too little water was the cause. The crumbliness WAS largely confined to the “top.” I’ll try poking it next time and check my measurements. Many thanks for responding–and for a recipe that should make Lagkagehuset blush. JH
Celine
Hi Kim,
I was in Denmark last year and loved the bread there. So I was happy to find your recipe. I did however have to change the proportions of water and salt which are way too high per my experience. My first bread came out all flat and soggy inside. So I reduced the water to 2 cups and the salt to 2 tsp (not 2 tbsp).
Anyway, no worry. I don’t mind experimenting a bit. And I’m so glad to be able to make my own bread now.
Thank you,
Kim Nielsen
Hi Celine. Thanks for your comment. I always love to hear about people’s experiences with this recipe. It is good that you made it work. I also like to experimenting in the kitchen and I almost never follow a recipe 100% :-)
Regards Kim
Celine
Hi Kim,
Céline again. Just forgot to talk about the starter. I saw you mentioned using honey to accelerate the fermentation. But Sally Fallon who wrote Nourishing tradition (US) warns against it because sugar introduces an alcoholic fermentation. So no honey should be used to make the starter. Also, if you like your bread really sour like I do, you can’t used any sugar in the bread recipe for the same reason. So I skip the malt extract and let my bread on the top of my fridge for 48 hours before I bake it.
Finally, a note for people using dry yeast instead of starter. Yeast does not break down the acids found in grains. So the bread is less nutritious.
Hope this is useful. Thank you.
Kim Nielsen
Hi Celine. Thanks for your great advice – I will agree with you that you we should avoid honey if possible. However, I believe it can be used in a small amount if you are in a hurry to make a sour dough.
And again I will agree with you – if you are looking for a more sour rye bread it is absolutely a good idea to reduce a little on the sugar added. However, I would not remove all the sugar as it is also used to start the rising process of the bread. Again, thanks for your great advice.
Celine
Thanks you Kim for this information.
Hope you’re enjoying this holiday season.
Adz86au
Thank you so much for this recipe! Made two loaves the other day, and they came out fantastic! Been really getting into cooking from my heritage which is Danish/German and this bread recipe was by far the best and believe me I was looking! My only problem is making enough to keep up with the demand. Thank you again.
Kim Nielsen
Thanks for your comment. I’m happy that you like them. I hope you can continue finding inspiration on my blog :-) regards Kim
René Leuring
What a delicious recipe, I har just made it, and finished eating the first slice, and it tastet incredible.
Thank you so much for the recipe, Best regards René
Kim Nielsen
Hi René. Thanks for your comment, I’m happy that you have had success with the recipe and that you like it. Regards Kim
Jasmin
Hi Kim! I made the bread twice and it came out really good. My boyfriend’s mom bought the ikea mix bread and I was looking to do something similar and it indeed was. I couldn’t fined cracked rye kernels so I used spelt grains instead and it came out great. Thank you for this lovely recipe!
Kim Nielsen
Hi Jasmin. Thanks for your comment. I’m familiar with the Ikea bread mix – it should also be OK. However, I’ve never tried it personally myself.
I can only imagine that spelt grains would also be great for this bread. Regards Kim
Patrick
Hi Kim,
I enjoyed making the Danish rye bread and it went together and came out just like the pictures. Unfortunately, when I tried the first piece if discovered it was so salty it made it rather unpalatable. I followed the recipe exactly and triple checked the amount of salt, 2 tbsp (tablespoons). Thinking maybe it was suppose to taste that way I had a friend from Denmark try it and she agreed that it was too salty tasting. Could the amount of salt be a misinterpretation from Danish to standard U.S. measurements?
Thanks
Kim Nielsen
Hi Patrick. I’m sorry to hear that it was too salty. I’ve just checked the recipe one more time and it is 2 tablespoons of salt (tbsp). However, that said I normally just add the salt by eye. Next time I will carefully measure the amount. Try only adding 1 tbsp if you are trying one more time. Again, I’m sorry to hear about the bad result. Regards Kim
gaynor davenport
Thank you for the recipe. This is my first time using sourdough.
I live in the UK and did not manage to get cracked rye so just used non-cracked rye instead. I used a sourdough starter and fed for a week and it seem to look how it should and appeared active but the dough did not rise in the bread pan before before baking even though I waited much longer than the recipe suggested.
Can you offer any advice for next time please?
Kim Nielsen
Hi Gaynor. Sorry to hear about this issue. I would normally suggest that the problem is the sourdough if you don’t get the bread to rise. Did you use my recipe for the sourdough?
Mary Arnold
I am having trouble finding Malt syrup. What else can I use?
Kim Nielsen
HI. Maybe you can find it under the names of Barley Syrup or Malted Cereal Syrup? I’ll look more into this because I know this can be hard to find some places.
Alex D Falcone
I found the syrup on jet.com under barley malt syrup. It was delivered in two days.
Alex D Falcone
Do you use raw or toasted sunflower seeds, or does it matter?
Kim Nielsen
I normally just use raw sunflower seeds.
Kathy C.
Hello, I can get rye malt (malted rye grains) from a local homebrew supplier for a fraction of the price of the whole grain rye that I get at the grocery store. Is this an acceptable substitute? Will the rising / baking time or anything else change? Would this have the flavor of using rye + malt syrup?
I should say that I attempted to make this recipe using the malted rye and no malt syrup. The loaves collapsed, but I don’t know if this was because I used rye malt or other factors.
Thanks for any advice folks may have!
Gina
What internal temperature do you aim for to see if the bread is cooked enough?
Kim Nielsen
Hi Gina. I don’t aim for a internal temperature. I normally gently knocks on the bread – the sound should be hollow somehow. This is my low-key technique.
Gina Bisaillon
I’ve been experimenting, and I’ve found that my bread needs to reach at least 205 degrees Fahrenheit internal temperature, and today I took it out at 209 degrees and it was beautifully caramelized on the outside!
Shahida Lotfi-jad
Hi,
Can you please inform me if you remove the bulk or part of the first days starter and continue doing through the seven days? I am asking this since you do not mention in your instructions.
Most North American bakers advise part of each days sourdough starter should be discarded.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Kim Nielsen
Hi. I normally never remove or discard any of the sourdough. I am always using the same and very simple instructions for my sourdough. You should only discard the entire dough if it smells rotten. The correct smell is like beer and a little vinegar-like.
Connie Garnett
Thank you for publishing your recipe. I had a bread similar to this one in Chile recently, from a Bavarian bakery and loved it. I can find Rye kernels or flakes here at hone in the US, but not cracked kernels. Which would be better to use? Also is it really 2 tablespoons not teaspoons of Salt?
Kim Nielsen
Hi Connie. I think Rye Kernnels is the better choice. Yes it is 2 tablespoons of salt.
Connie Garnett
Thank you. Making it again now per your instructions and will let you know how it turns out
Connie Garnett
Two tbls of salt was too much. Bread looked fine, but was much too salty. Going back to two tsps salt. Also, I used rye kernels and chopped them in the blender. From the look of the bread, thatworks fine in place of cracked rye.
Gina
About the sourdough. Do I have to feed it just before using or is it okay to use it straight out of the fridge?
Kim Nielsen
I would take it out a day in advance and feed it one time before using it :)
Gina
THANK YOU! I am making some this weekend. I am a grain addict so I am looking forward to a real treat!
Gina Bisaillon
Update: I had been feeding the starter the day before, as you suggested, but this time I wanted to skip that step and used a starter that hadn’t been fed in months and my loaves turned out beautifully! This is good news for me because I spend months away every year and I’m always anxious to get my bread baked when I return!
Gina Bisaillon
I think you could alter your recipe to reflect this – the fact that the sourdough doesn’t need to be refreshed before using it in your recipe. It makes perfect sense, since all that grain and liquid is activating the sourdough of course. If you haven’t tried this, you should, and you could alter the recipe to reflect this.
Philip Tramdack
Thank you so much for this post. For the past ten years I have been working on this bread and I am surprised to find that I have landed on your target.
4 cups pumpernickel
2 c whole wheat
1 1/4 cups steel cut oats
1/8 teasp cumin
2 Tablespoons caraway seeds ground in the mortar 100 times
1 teasp wheat gluten
2 teasp salt
start with 1 cup warm water
3/8 cup barley malt
1 teasp yeast (regular baking yeast) in summer; two in winter
1 1/4 cup sourdough starter discussed elsewhere. Just put half a cup of whole wheat flour or any flour in a jar and add a cup of water and leave it on the counter for a week. Main point! NO METAL MUST TOUCH THE STARTER! NO METAL HENCEFORTH. It will kill the starter dead.
Feed with a bit of flour and water after a day or two. It will ripen, and depending on the yeasts in the flour and air, may smell like fragrent sour pears or stinky tennis shoes. IT DOESN’T MATTER. It all works fine. If it has a chemical smell the starter has gone bad very (rare).
Mix it up, knead at least 100 times and let it rise 24 to 36 hours, the longer the better. After 36 or even 48 hours the bread has a real bite to it. I like it, You can bake it in a regular bread pan, or on a pizza stone for a pain paysan. I have a PULLMAN PAN which allows the dough to rise to a nice, square loaf perfect for slicing thin and making Smørrebrød is the best by far. I bake it over a water bath at 425 for 55 minutes.
Note that this recipe is the place where I have ended after ten years of experiments. You can take it or leave it, but I think this is the best. PJT
Kim Nielsen
Hi Philip. Thanks a lot for you great mail! I’ll definitely keep this recipe in mind the next time I’m experimenting with rye bread in my kitchen. I also believe that it can be a great help for others. Regards Kim
Lawrence Leason
I’m always stirring my starter with metal spoons and haven’t noticed any detrimental effects.
Gina
Well, I did get around to making a batch and I’m glad I waited a week to post this because the bread actually has improved both in flavour and texture in that time.
My dough was more runny than yours (now I know it’s because we probably have a different way of measuring the flour — hence the usefulness of measuring by weight) and so it was pretty sticky for a while though I baked it to 205 degrees F — the temperature recommended by other expert for similar breads. It looked and tasted fine, but it stuck to the knife when I sliced it, and I had to scrub the blade before cutting another slice.
But now the texture is drier though still perfectly moist and delicious, and there is no longer any sticky residue on the knife.
I used your sourdough starter and followed your directions for feeding it the day before, and that also worked out very well. Now I’m looking for excuses to use sourdough!
Just one question: if I wanted to add some whole rye berries, should I cook them beforehand?
Agaim, thank you for a fine recipe!
Kim Nielsen
Hi Gina. I’m happy that is worked out pretty good. I didn’t know the 205 F trick – However, I’ll test it next time I am making a rye bread. Regarding your question: I normally never cook the rye grains beforehand. I would simply just add some extra gains. And just one final comment. I’m currently working on a recipe for a super simple rye bread without sour dough. I’ll post it in a short time on my blog.
Gina
Not just “pretty good” – very good!!
I have tried versions of this bread without sour dough and they didn’t measure up, but it might be nice to have a recipe in reserve for emergencies
Gina Bisaillon
Well, I’ve been using cooked rye kernels for the last two batches, with great results. I just add 3/4 cup of the cooked grains (simmered for one hour, then cooled).
Jim
Hi Gina. Not sure of the way this site works, but I’ve just baked a loaf of this rye bread with seeds etc. and have the same sticky knife business going on… How long did you find you need to leave it before it sorted itself out? Also, did you store it covered to dry out, or just leave it out?
I’m used to sourdough and the process, and I might just try less rye and more spelt, and maybe use a tiny bit of sugar rather than molasses I used – the rye or the molasses might both have contributed to stickiness. However – it did taste good!
Thanks,
Jim.
LIsa
Hello Gina,
Just an update: I have made your exact recipe 5 times. The sixth time just today. I found that my loaves were rising with a big air pocket at the top of the loaves so I went and purchased a Pullman loaf pan with lid. My last baking was yesterday and the loaf came out absolutely perfect. Here are the details:
-used one whole 9X13″ Pullman loaf pan & lid instead of two smaller un-lidded pans
-exact same recipe except I went and purchased a dry malt extract (at a local beer supply store) and then dark brown malt powder really worked as both the sweetness of the syrup and the dark color of your gravy coloring
Bread was amazing. I allowed it to cool 8 hours at room temperature before slicing thin the perfectly square pieces. Each slice of bread is evenly moist with the same air bubbles in size. The grains are well cooked and it sliced perfectly.
The next baking I will be trying one new thing: to allow the loaf to cool *inside* the Pullman pan/lid. I was advised this would also allow the steam to evenly penetrate the bread back into the bread instead of evaporating.
Inga
This is so useful for me. I have been making this bread successfully for a long time now, in a Pullman loaf pan but without the lid. The last two times I’ve baked my breads came out with the hole below the crust.
Do you bake the bread with the lid on?
Anything else I should know that you want to share?
Thank you very much
Inga
Martina
Hi Kim,
My husband’s family is Danish and I decided to try making your Rye Bread with Grains recipe since there is no authentic Danish baker close by where we live in Canada.
It turned out great and my husband was very pleased. I even made Danish Liver Pate to go with it,
One question I have is that on Day 5, it mentions :make sure that you stir in the mixture several times a day.” Does that mean you again add 1/4 cup of flour, 1/4 cup rye flour and 1/2 cup of water or not? I didn’t, but re-reading the recipe, I might have misunderstood. Please inform.
Thank you
Kim Nielsen
Hi Martina. I glad that it turned out good :-) On day five, the sour dough should be ready directly as it is. So you are right, you don’t need to add flour on day five. You simple just stir a little in the sour dough to make the consistency even.
Diego
Hi! First of all: Thanks so much from this receipe!
Since I came from Danmark I’ve been thinking of doing this bread and last week I started doing the Sourdough following your steps.
I couldn’t get all the ingredients here in Uruguay (rye kernels, gravy browning) so I made a couple of local modifications but the result is soooo good! Im so happy with this bread, its not exactly like the danish but the consistency and the sour taste resembles very very good the original!
Thank you so so so much for the receipe, the nice website and video!
Kim Nielsen
Hi Diego. Thanks a lot for your nice comment. I’m rally happy that you like the bread. It’s comments like yours that wanna make me share on my blog :-)
Lene
So at what stage do you take/save some starter for next time?
Or do you make a new starter each time?
Kim Nielsen
Hi Lene. That depends on if I know when I’m going to make a second bread. If you remember to keep a little sour dough in the fridge then you can easily start up a new sour dough in 1-2 days – take it out on the kitchen table and feed it once or twice.
Inga
Wonderful recipe. Do you think I can replace some or all of the all purpose flour with whole wheat?
Tusinde tak.
Inga
Kim Nielsen
Hi Inga. Thanks for your nice comment. In generel I would not replace the all-purpose flour with whole-wheat flour. But if you try, I would suggest replacing only 1/4 of the all-purpose flour.
Madeleine
Hello! I’m going to make this bread later this week (making the sourdough now!) and thinking about what ingredients I still need to buy. I notice you wrote that the gravy browning can be omitted; what is the benefit of including this? Is there a change in flavour if I include/omit this ingredient?
Looking forward to trying it!
Kim Nielsen
Hi Madeleine. The gravy browning is only to give the rye bread a little darker color. Flavour-wise it will not change anything. I hope that you are going to have success with this bread. :-)
Annie
You can also use instant espresso powder for color. It doesn’t change the flavor.
Gina Bisaillon
Or cocoa powder.
Inga
Thank you for this wonderful recipe. I had to start a new sour dough batch. I went away for a week and when I came back it smelled like vinegar. So I’m wondering if bubbles are forming before the 5 days are up, can I use it, or does it need to sit for the whole time (5days?)
Thanks so much for your help
Inga
Janet Picarelli
Hello Kim, Thanks for sharing. I just converted your formula into grams. I have a question- do you think your breads are about 3 pounds each? I am trying to purchase some pullman pans to bake these in.
Thank you Janet
Kim Nielsen
Hi Janet. You are welcome. Actually I don’t know the final weight of the bread. However, 3 pounds is not a bad estimate. Regards Kim
viktorija
HI! I love the recipe and really want to try making the bread, but I just have trouble with the measurements. Would it be ok if I converted dl in ml for both dry and wet ingredients?Thank you!
Kim Nielsen
Hi. Yes you can convert the measurements into ml. I know their are several ways of converting this online – try searching Google.
viktorija
great! thank you!
Gina Bisaillon
What I did is the first time I made it, I measured according to the recipe, but I weighed everything as well and wrote down the weights I obtained. Since the bread came out perfect, the next time I used my own weight measurements.
Lien
Thank you for the recipe. I’ve looked at different ones online and yours is pretty straightforward. I just came back from 3 weeks in Denmark visiting my inlaws and wanted to make more Danish dishes so my sons can be more familiar with Danish food.
grainne m
Can you clarify what this bread is supposed to be like in the middle? I’ve made it a couple of times and the first time the center didn’t cook. The second time I reduced the water (and salt) as someone suggested and it was better but still not as cooked in the middle as on the top, bottom, and edges. Is it supposed to be moist? And if so, how moist? I’m about to give up.
Kim Nielsen
The bread is supposed to be a little moist in the middle but it is not supposed to be wet. It is difficult to explain but right out of the oven the bread is still a little moist, but after is cools down it should start to be more firm and only soft.
Kathy
Hi Kim ,
I want to make your bread for my Danish relatives for Christmas. I have followed your recipie, made the starter and just mixed up the dough but my dough is very heavy. I also watched your video and see that my dough is very heavy compared to yours. I have just added a bit more water to lighten it but am not sure about fooling with it any more.
Any tips while my dough rises?!
Kim Nielsen
Hi. I think it was a good idea to add a little extra water. I also have a more simple version of the Danish bread without sour dough on my blog. Just search for it on the front page.
Nikki
We have a similar recipe from our Danish relatives. However when the dough is rising for the second time, After putting the dough in the pan, we top it with water and vegetable oil and poke holes to release any air. We substitute spelt flor for ap flour.
Marama
This bread is amazing! I just made it for the second time and I love it. I live in New Zealand and it’s difficult to get good bread here. Thanks so much!
Helen
What I like about this bread is that it just gets better with time, if wrapped tightly between slicings. I think the moisture just continues to equalize the longer it sits. I mixed one batch with the sourdough in it, then couldn’t bake it for about 8 days so I stored it well covered in the fridge, then added salt and flour and baked. It was terrific, very sour.
Gina Bisaillon
I have made this bread several times and t’s fabulous. Today I’m adding some cooked rye kernels just for a change.
Patrick
Forgive me being a bit dense but can anyone tell me what 4 DL of sourdough mix is going to weigh in gms. Do I measure it by full hydration water weight or by partial hydration water and flour weight?
Ogi the Yogi
What hydration is your starter? It looks wet, is it 100% or 125%. Thank you!
patricia
Hello, I am from Brazil and i can’t copy the recipe to translate it =(
could you send me by email?
thanks
Kim Nielsen
Hi. You simply just copy the entire web page address into google translate: https://translate.google.com/translate?hl=da&sl=auto&tl=es&u=http%3A%2F%2Fnordicfoodliving.com%2Fdanish-rye-bread-rugbrod%2F
patricia
thanks =)
Martina
Do I have to bake it in a conventional oven or convection (fan assisted) oven at 180 Celsius (360 F)??
Kim Nielsen
Bake it with conventional oven at 180 C (360 F)
Linda
Hi Kim,
Thank you for the wonderful recipes. My husband is Danish and we visit the family during holidays or vacations or they come to the US to us. I started making aeblshiver and rundstykker. Now I want to make the rugbrod. My questions are after the bread is done do they need to rest for awhile before putting them in plastic bags? How long does the bread last? And can one put the bread in the freezer for later use? I love the Danish breads, especially the breakfast breads, they are so hearty and filling keeps me going until lunch time.
Linda
Kim Nielsen
Hi Linda. I’m happy that you like my recipes. Yes it’s a good idea to have the ryebread rest a little before putting it in plastic bag. I think an hour is sufficient. You can also freeze it for several months. If you at some point are experiencing that the bread is a little dry then you just toast the slices a little bit.
Elena
Kim, I am an exchange student of gastronomy and I am living in Denmark. I am so happy that I found your blog. I want to try so many traditional danish recipes as I can! Thank you.
Kim Nielsen
Hi Elena. I hope that you enjoy your time in Denmark and that you like some of the Danish food culture :-)
Angela
Hi Kim,
Thanks for this great recipe! I lived in Denmark for a year and struggle to find a decent rugbrød back in London.
I’ve made your recipe twice now. It tastes and looks great but each time after cooling and when I cut the bread open the consistency is very sticky as though it is still not cooked and very hard on the outside. I then leave the bread in for longer than you recommend to try to bake it more thoroughly. Do you have any idea what could have gone wrong and what the consistency should be like when it comes out?
Tusind tak!
Angela
Kim Nielsen
Hi Angela. The consistency of the bread when it comes out of the oven should be a little sticky in the middle. However, when it cools of it should be more firm but still quite moist. Are you sure about the temperature in the oven?
Michelle
Hello, I went to Denmark and absolutely loved your bread. Now THAT is real bread! One question; if I don’t have cracked rye and wheat available, can I use other seeds instead, like pumpkin, sesame, chia, etc? Thanks!
Kim Nielsen
I don’t have any experience using other types of seeds for making rye bread. Making traditional Nordic rye bread would require rye flour. However, I can recommend the Nordic stone age bread, which I have a recipe for here on my blog – It’s healthy and very delicious.
Tove
What size bread pan do you use? They come in many sizes and I assume baking times will be longer for a larger pan of bread
Tak
Kim Nielsen
Hi. I typically use my standard bread pan which measure about 30 x 10 x 10 cm (12 x 4 x 4 inch). I hope this help you.
Gabriella brundrett
Hejsan Kim
En Helsingborgare pa landet I England. I was wondering if there is reason why you add the sourdough during the soak, rather than later.ninhave just put the grains in soak, but was thinking I would need another night to build up the sourdough. Would there be any problem with that?
Tack as mycket for hjalpen
Gabriella
Kim Nielsen
Hejsan Gabrielle. I normally add the sour dough as described in the recipe. However, I believe that it’s also possible what you are describing.
Torben
HI Kim I tried your recipe ,my bread came out still very moist in the middle and the bread is very heavy to pick up ,I would love to get this right please help
Kim Nielsen
Hi. Normally the bread needs to rest a little before it settles in the middle. How was the bread after 24 hours?
Clarisa R B
Fantastic!! It worked perfectly, even if instead of cracked wheat (I did not have it) I used coarse bulgur, and instead of the proper syrup I used treacle (I live in England). I also used a mixed-seed combination (pumpkins, flax, sesame, sunflower)
The texture of the bread was excellent. It was my first attempt at a “just sourdough” bread and I am delighted by the result. (my friend gave me the starter and it kept growing so when I saw your recipe using 4dl of starter I thought “I am trying this”).
Thank you!!
Dana
I did the weight conversions! Here they are, :)
116 g Cracked Rye
116 g Cracked Wheat
116 g Flax Seeds
116 g Sunflower Seeds
480 g Sourdough Starter
680 g Water
192 g All-Purpose Flour
192 g Rye Flour
Lawrence
thanks Dana!
hester
THANK YOU!!!
Julie
I did a exchange student in Denmark 20 years ago and I miss so rugbrod. I am so happy have found a recipe. But I live in Québec Canada and I speak french so what is a gravy browning??? Can you put a picture of it or a description?? Thank you!!
Kim Nielsen
Gravy browning is simply just some brown coloring which is typically used in Denmark to make a white sauce brown. I guess you can use any kind of brown food coloring as a substitute.
C. John Schmidts
you screwed-up in your recipe . . .
i.e. your recipe calls for two tbs. (tablespoons) of salt; it should probably have been two tsp. (teaspoons)
We tasted the bread and slid the two loaves into the garbage.
Thanks for the waste of time
Kim Nielsen
I’m sorry about this problem. I have looked into the issue and as far as I can see there might be a different way of measuring a “tablespoon”. I have changed the recipe to only one tablespoon which should be correct everywhere.
Lawrence
try to be a bit kinder to people who bother to post things.
Skinpup
Hello
Calm down mate, it’s not the end of the world, it’s a bad loaf, the next one will be great, it’s a wonderful tasting bread, really really good!
hester
Different kinds of salt measure and weigh differently. The chart below is from Samin Nosrat’s award winning book: Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat
Salt type
Weight per Tablespoon in grams
Fine Sea salt
14.6 grams
Maldon
8.4
Sel Gris
13
Table salt
18.6
Morton’s Kosher
14.75
Diamond Crystal Kosher
9.75
so… as you can see, a TBS of table salt weighs >2x that of Maldon. This is why I prefer weight measures.
Also, if you use %ages, then aim for 1.5 – 2% salt (that is if flour total is 1 kilo) then salt should be about 15 grams.
Clarisa Butler
The amount of salt is so personal! I love this bread with two tablespoons of salt, but my husband prefers it less salty, So, you adjust to taste.
I find this recipe wonderful. I have simplified quantities further to just cups, ie 1 cup cracked rye…. 2 cups starter…. And it works perfectly well. I end with three loaves of a total weight of 2.1kg (750, 750, 600gr approx).
My timetable is different too, and easier for me. I start early in the morning of day 1, leave mix soaking all day and in the evening add second ingredients, leave for two hours plus and then just before going to bed divide into bread pans. Next morning I do the 1h baking whilst having breakfast etc, so that it does not impinge on my working day.
Thank you for a fabulous recipe yet again.
Stephen
I have avoided this style of bread for fear of turning out a brick. Very happily, I made a perfectly lovely loaf and will definitely add this recipe to my bread repertoire. Many thanks! FWIW, I plan to bump up the salt a bit from the modified recipe the next time I make this bread
Zeynep
Hello, the 8 hours soaking time is in room temperature or in the fridge (=4 degrees) ?
Kim Nielsen
It does not make a big difference. I normally just leave it at room temperature.
Vasco Guimaraes
Can I substitute water with dark beer for more flavor? And can the malt syrup be substituted for maple syrup, or will it make it too sweet?
Lawrence
Hi
thanks for the recipe.
Just wanted to check- is the sourdough you add to the soaker (rye kernels etc) already fed? Also what hydration sourdough do you use in this recipe?
hester
Lawrence, I am also interested in this. I plan to make the bread soon. I am assuming the starter is 100% hydration. and given the large amount of it, I am also assuming that it is a fed and risen starter. I will use 3 feedings (the last one overnight) to get to the 480 gram amount of starter. I’ll do the last feeding just as I soak the seeds and grains.
Clarisa R B
I build up the starter from the moment I make bread and after a few days, when it looks like two cups or so, I put sourdough in fridge. The day before I plan to make bread I take sourdough from fridge and feed it. In the morning if I feel it needs more activity, I feed it again. it works regardless, I think, as with all those grains etc the sourdough gets pretty active.
Martin
I love this recipe it’s delicious!
Sometimes I get a spring/crack across the top of the loaf, only sometimes. What is causing it to do that, any ideas?
Kim Nielsen
I’m happy that you like the recipe. I do get the same types of cracks from time to time. Actually I don’t know what is causing them.
Andrea
I just made this bread and I’m very happy with it. I did make some changes however. I added sesame seeds pumpkin seeds and Chia as well as what was written and also added a tablespoon of cocoa powder and a tablespoon of molasses to half of the dough . Thank you so much for the recipe and I enjoyed reading the comments as well
Kim Nielsen
I’m happy that you like the recipe. I personally also enjoy to change my recipes and come up with new ways of make som e delicious food.
Clarisa R B
a 10/10 recipe: infalible and delicious. The bread also lasts for at least two weeks at room temperature. I adore it slightly toasted with butter.. or smoked salmon or gravlax… or a good pâté. One to try, even if you are a total bread novice.
michelle
THIS is REAL BREAD! Not the crap we´re accustomed to eating in the American Continent
Nikki
I have just made another rye bread recipe and it was sticky inside despite a long cooking time. I have found your recipe to try. Because my tin is large and long it will take all of the mixture (I bought it in Denmark and is a Rugbrod tin). How do I know when it is cooked? How much longer do I cook it for? I am anxious not to ruin another mixture.
Kim Nielsen
It is difficult to put an exact cooking time on this bread. When you think the bread is done, you can remove it from the bread tin. Then you can try knocking at the bottom of the bread. It should sound somehow hollow. It is hard to describe.
Emilye
Thanks so much for this recipe; I love Danish rye bread and would like to try making it at home.
Would it be possible to provide the ingredients measurement in weight?
Kim Nielsen
I don’t know have the measurements in weight. However, you can use Google to convert the units in volumen into weight.
Penny S
Hi,
Thank you so much for this recipe. I am now able to make danish rye bread “down under”. I haven’t been able to find cracked rye but with the other seeds and grains we don’t really miss it.
I also really appreciate the pictures and video – that helps to work out if you have the right consistency.
I’ve been using a meat thermometer to work out if the bread is ready. Stick it in the middle of the bread and if it is 96-97C it is ready.
Kim Nielsen
You are welcome :-)
Barbara A Carter
this is the best bread for marmalade!!! Thank you for posting it!
Kim Nielsen
You are welcome. I’m just happy that you also like the recipe :-)
Chris H.
Excellent recipe and easy to follow. It took a little research to convert deciliters to imperial measure but found that 1 dl is approx 2/5 of a cup. I have made this recipe several times and always get rave reviews from friends. The fellow who was complaining about the salt mix up needs a little Zen time. I have had several failures learning bread making,no disasters just learning experiences.
Kim Nielsen
I happy that you like the recipe. The next time you can use the built-in converter which you can find at the recipe (button called US Customary) :-)
Helle
Hi
First of all thank you for a great blog, you have so. many nice recipes that I want to try. :)
I just moved to the US and my kids misses their Rugbrød so much so I want to make my own.
Can anyone recommend a place to buy the cracked rye kernels and cracked wheat in the US?
Eelin
Your recipe lists “dl cups” for some of the ingredients. Do you mean dl or cups? I have copied and pasted them below:
4 dl cups sour dough
8 dl cups water
4 dl cups all-purpose flour
4 dl cups rye flour
Is it “dl” or “cups”? Can’t be both.
Thanks
Kim Nielsen
You are absolutely right. It was a mistake in the recipe. I’ve corrected the text now. Thanks for letting me know about this issue.
Chris
I live in Canada and have found that a common hot cereal mix called either Red River Cereal or Sunny Boy Cereal contains steel cut wheat,steel cut rye and whole and cracked flax as its only ingredients .It can be bought in the bulk section at several Canadian supermarkets as well.I have used this as part of the ingredients for my last 3 batches of your recipe and find it works very well.
Lola
Thank you for this recipe,
I made the bread and it tastes delicious! I’ve been obsessed with this bread since I visited Denmark some years ago so it’s nice to be able now make it and eat it again.
However I have a question. It’s not very glamorous (sorry), but since I have been eating it I have had a lot (like a LOT) of gas to the point that it can be painful. So I am just wondering if by any chance this is a comment side effect of eating Danish rye bread or if I might have done something wrong (I did eat a lot of it though)?
Kim Nielsen
You are welcome. I’m happy that you like the recipe. Regarding the ‘gas-issue’ it’s not a problem that I’ve heard about before. Rye bread is packed with great dietary fiber which gives your stomach something to ‘work’ with but that is just all good. Maybe if you started adding extra dietary fibers to your diet that is you stomach’ way of saying thanks :-) Of course it should not be painful. It’s just a guess. Regards Kim / NordicFoodLiving.com
Chris
I have been a home bread baker for over 30 years and having found your recipe, Rugbrod has become my standard loaf, much enjoyed by family and friends.
Bread making is a “living process”. Flours differ by season, some grains are not readily available but a little imagination and thoughful substitution permits splendid bread to be easily produced (eg pepitas and / or freka and / or steel cut or some rolled oats substituting for cracked rye kernels that I cannot find in Sydney, Australia) .
The sour dough starter is amazingly patient. It bounces back to life when kept refrigerated, even after being neglected for a few weeks and with an acetone smell emerging from over-fermentation!
Your ingredient measurements are fine. The Australian standard metric cup is 250ml and I use it as the basis of my preparation, substituting 250ml for 2dl. This regularly produces just under 3 kilograms of dough which I divide into 3 loaves. Extra loaves store well in the freezer for a few weeks.
The bread is at its best thinly sliced. It also makes very good toast.
Thank you Kim for sharing this recipe.
Kim Nielsen
You are welcome and thanks for your nice comment, I love to hear from people and what they think about the recipes. I’m just happy that you like the recipe. You are absolutely right. Making bread is a “living” process and it needs to be adjusted from time-to-time. It’s a actually difficult to make recipes that will work all-over the globe. Regards Kim (NordicFoodLiving.com)
paul penders
great, great, great! Thank you
Kim Nielsen
I’m happy that you like the recipe :-) Regards Kim (NordicFoodLiving.com