Versatile rye is good for much more than bread

Deena Prichep, Special to The Oregonian By Deena Prichep, Special to The Oregonian
on November 01, 2011 at 6:00 AM
Rye Crumble BarsView full sizeWhy rye? Because it can do so much more than serve up pastrami. Here it is baked in jammy Rye Crumble Bars.
As any English major (or psychologist) can tell you, we seldom say what we mean. This takes countless forms, but one of my favorites is the metonymy: a word that isn't used for its literal meaning but instead points to a related idea. Take the word "rye": When we say it, we're generally not talking about a hardy, versatile grain that can be turned into a variety of delicious baked goods -- we're talking about the caraway-topped, sourdough-based deli slices around our pastrami sandwich. Which is a shame, because the true picture of rye is so much bigger than that.

Recipes included with this story: Ham and Swiss on Rye Muffins, Rye Panade, Rye Breadsticks With Onion and Potato, Rye Crumble Bars.

One of the main reasons we associate rye with heavy European flavors is because it thrives in poor soil and a short growing season. In other words, it flourishes where warmer-weather grains struggle. Thanks to this, rye took hold in the chillier fields of Northern and Eastern Europe, and became the stuff of Scandinavian crispbreads and dense sourdough loaves.

And these Europeans are serious when it comes to rye. In some countries it is subject to government regulations; a bread can only be labeled as rye if it contains a specified, sizable percentage of the actual grain.

Getting to know the real rye

In addition to the regional influences on rye, some basic facts of its culinary chemistry also shape how it's used. Rye is fairly low in gluten, the elastic-y protein that helps give bread its structure. And, to add insult to injury, rye has an army of powerful digestive enzymes, called amylases, that break down starches to further inhibit formation of an airy, nicely risen loaf.

Traditionally, these characteristics of rye are dealt with in a few ways. Rye is lightened with a bit of wheat flour, to lend some gluten. Or it's baked into unrisen crispbread or dense, thinly sliced canapé loaves, where the lack of loft is an asset. Alternately, rye is leavened with a sourdough, whose acidic properties deactivate the amylases before they can break things down (while also extending freshness and encouraging digestibility).

And thus, European rye comes to America as sourdough, as heavy loaves, and as crisp crackers. But as many bakers are discovering, there are many more ways that rye can be used. Rye flour is now being baked, as it has long been in Europe, in sweet as well as savory recipes. And the traditional heavier rye breads (instead of their more white-bread-ized American cousins) are also being rediscovered and appreciated.

Give your baking a "backup player"

Kim Boyce, owner of Bakeshop bakery (formerly Golden Oven) recently won a James Beard award for her book "Good to the Grain," which explores a variety of whole-grain flours. But she put off testing the rye recipes until last. "I was afraid of it," she admits. "I was expecting that stereotypical pumpernickel flavor profile." But when Boyce finally opened up a bag of rye flour, she discovered that it didn't have any of the caraway-like taste she expected. "It was quite sweet, mild, almost malty."

Boyce now frequently adds rye flour to her baking, where it contributes a depth of flavor and creamy texture, without overwhelming the balance. Boyce uses it in her soft pretzels and savory tart crusts, but finds it's equally at home in sweets, from Danishes to pancakes to jam-filled crumb bars. "It's a great backup player, especially this time of year with maple syrup, brown sugar, squash -- all of the flavors we think of in the fall."

But while bakers like Boyce want to show the sweet side of rye, some, such as Edgar Loesch of Fressen Artisan Bakery, love its full-blown heft. Loesch grew up in Germany, where the government sets quotas for rye bread composition. He now bakes a variety of breads for Fressen in the same tradition. Loesch laments that because American breads aren't subject to the same regulations, we've come to think of rye bread as "white bread with a bit of speckles in it." Loesch's loaves, baked according to German regional practices, can come across as dense and heavy to palates brought up on softer stuff.

But Loesch says that this density is part of rye's charm. Most rye flour is milled, like whole-wheat flour, with the grain's bran and germ intact (see list at right). This provides the usual host of health benefits from a whole grain -- and it fills you up. "One slice can pretty much make you feel like you've satisfied your hunger," Loesch says. "With white bread, you could pretty much eat the whole baguette."

This sense of satisfaction has a nutritional basis, as well. According to food scientists, the complex sugars of rye absorb water, helping your stomach to feel fuller after you've eaten. These sugars also break down more slowly than refined sugars, so you maintain this satiety longer.

Whether you're seeking the health benefits of whole grains, a different flavor to add interest to your baked goods, or just a hearty slice of sandwich bread, rye can be a surprisingly welcome flour. You can ease into it gradually, swapping in some rye flour for a quarter of the wheat flour in your favorite recipe. (Because the bran and germ in whole-grain rye flour absorbs a bit more liquid than refined white flour, use  7/8 cup rye flour for every cup of white flour.) Or, try out some of the accompanying recipes, which will give you a whole new dimension for the word "rye."

Deena Prichep is a Portland freelance writer and radio producer who blogs at

Many shades of rye

Like wheat flour, rye comes in refined and whole-grain versions, though the labeling isn't consistent.

The refined flour, usually labeled "light rye," has had the bran and germ removed, and has a much lighter texture and flavor. This flour is generally a bit harder to come by. "Dark rye," sometimes just labeled rye (or, to be confusing, "medium rye"), is milled from the whole rye berry, and is dark-flecked with a nicely strong rye flavor and aroma. Some specialty or European stores will also sell "pumpernickel flour," or "rye meal," which is the whole-grain rye milled to a coarser, more toothsome flour. The whole-grain dark rye flour is the most common option.

Rye flour can be found packaged from Bob's Red Mill (either at its store or at local grocers) or in the bulk bins at local natural foods stores and some supermarkets.

--Deena Prichep