Recipe hydration
100% Rye Pan Loaf — Hydration Guide
Target 85%. Workable range 80–95%.
Why this hydration for 100% Rye Pan Loaf?
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.
Flour mix: 100% rye medium.
Technique at 85%
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 85%
- 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.