Germany/Denmark · hearth

100% Rye Pan Loaf

Target 85% hydration · loaf pan tall · bake at 425°F

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100% rye pan loaf (Roggenbrot, Rugbrød-style) has no wheat gluten — structure comes entirely from rye pentosans. Dense, moist, long-keeping (up to 2 weeks), with deep earthy-sour flavor. Higher salt (2.2%) balances strong acidity. Higher levain percentage (30-40%) because rye ferments fast and needs active leavening with weak structure. No kneading, no folding — mix, pan, bake. Traditional Hamelman formula targets 85% hydration with medium rye; Danish rugbrød pushes to 95% with dark rye + seeds + coarse rye meal.

Hydration
85%
Salt
2.20%
Levain
30–40%
Bulk @ 76°F
2.50h
Proof @ 76°F
1.50h
Bake temp
425°F
Bake time
50m
Vessel
loaf pan tall

Flour mix

Technique

Mix flour, water, levain, salt into a thick paste with spoon or mixer (no kneading). Scrape into greased loaf pan, wet hands to smooth top. Bulk 2.5h at 76°F, then bake directly — no proof stage. Bake at 425°F for 15 min, reduce to 375°F for 35 min until internal temp 205°F. Cool in pan 15 min, then rest wrapped in cotton cloth 24-48h before slicing (flavor develops over time).

Calculator pre-set to 100% Rye Pan Loaf's target (85%)

Adjust the slider for personal preference within the workable 80–95% range.

Flour to add
450 g
Water to add
375 g
Salt
10 g
Levain @ 100%
100 g
Total dough
935 g
Effective hydration
85%
How the math works

Total water = flour × hydration %. Your levain contributes 50 g flour + 50 g water — both count toward the totals. You add only the remainder as fresh flour and water.

Salt % is computed on total flour weight, not final-dough flour.

Open 85% hydration guide →

Related references on this site

The gear that makes the math work

A short, honest baking kit. The scale matters most — every weight on this page is in grams. The Dutch oven is what turns a good crumb into a great crust.

  • Digital kitchen scale (0.1 g)

    Baker's percentage is by weight, not volume — a 0.1 g scale is what makes the math on this page accurate.

    View on Amazon →
  • Dutch oven / combo cooker

    Traps steam for the first bake phase — the single biggest factor in oven spring and a blistered, glossy crust.

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  • Banneton proofing basket

    Wicks moisture and holds shape during the final proof, so high-hydration dough doesn't spread flat.

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  • Bread lame + bench scraper

    A sharp lame scores clean ears; a steel bench scraper handles wet, sticky dough without tearing the gluten.

    View on Amazon →
  • High-protein bread flour

    The math assumes ~12–14% protein. Real bread flour absorbs the hydration you calculate — all-purpose won't.

    View on Amazon →
  • Danish dough whisk

    Mixes shaggy, high-hydration dough in seconds without the gluey mess of a spoon or your hands.

    View on Amazon →
🎧 Or learn the craft by ear

The numbers here are the what; a good baking book is the why. An Audible trial gets you any title free — Michael Pollan’s Cooked(the “Air” chapter is the best story ever told about why bread rises) is a perfect first listen.

Start a free Audible trial →

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Gear guides — what actually matters