No-Knead Bread Redux - Perfect Rye with Caraway

I rhapsodized about the beauty of the no-knead bread method in this post, but truth be told, the original proportions and timing works best with white flour. I on the other hand love rye bread with caraway seeds.

Since my first no-knead attempt, I have been trying to perfect the proportions for rye. For those of you who have made traditional breads you'll know that rye flour has less gluten which is why it is stickier as a dough, has a denser crumb and is a low riser as bread go. Already knowing this I decided to let the rye bread version rise another 12 hours and found that my breads were kind of gummy when baked. I had attributed that to not baking it long enough but after receiving Peter Rheinhart's The Bread Baker's Apprentice Cookbook for my birthday I read that the gumminess was actually due to letting it rise too long.

I found these proportions for rye no-knead on the internet (and have lost the reference, sorry!). This loaf still has a somewhat moist crumb, but not nearly as gummy as what I had before. I still think it's the best there is!

No-Knead Rye Bread with Caraway

2 cups bread flour
2 cups rye flour
2 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon instant yeast
2 cups water

Combine all in bowl large enough for dough to easily double. Be sure to mix in well so that all flour is mixed in, but mix gently. I prefer to use a rubber spatula to get it all in. Cover with plastic wrap or a cut open grocery bag and secure tightly with a rubber band. Place in a warm spot (in a gas oven with a pilot light or on top of the refrigerator works well) and allow to rise for 12 hours. Remove dough from bowl and scrap onto large cutting board or clean counter sprinkled with flour. Dust top with flour and cover with dish cloth and allow to rest for 1 1/2 hours. Place covered baking pot in oven preheated to 450 degrees and allow pot and lid to warm in oven for 30 minutes. Carefully scrape dough into heated pot and cover and bake for 35 minutes. Remove lid and bake another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and slide bread onto cooling rack and cool at least 2 hours. I often bake at night and wrap bread in a clean dish cloth overnight. Rye breads in particular need to breathe before being put away. For the first 24 hours after coming out of the oven I only wrap it in a dish cloth. Then I put it away in a plastic bag and store at room temperature.

Hugs!