Bake rye bread – in July?

You're kidding.




So, why am I baking rye bread in July?


Inspired perhaps by all those burgers on the grill over the 4th of July, I remembered one of my first "Ah-ha!" food moments: the time I realized "Hmmm, there's a big world of food out there beyond what Mom puts on the table."

Picture a cold, late-fall afternoon. I'm in high school. Field hockey practice over, the sun setting in a brilliant deep-purple and gold sky, the team starts to disperse – the younger girls to the "late bus," the older ones with whoever was lucky enough to nab the family car that morning.

Feeling smug – "We're so cool, we don't take the bus anymore" – we head to Friendly's, the local ice cream/burger chain, for a pre-dinner snack.


But frankly, much as I love ice cream, it doesn't sound very comforting on this frosty late-fall evening.

How about a hot burger and fries? Just right.

I glance at the menu. There's the regular burger (with cheese, if you want to pay the extra 10¢). But there's also something called a "patty melt" – a burger on sliced grilled rye bread.

Rye bread instead of a hamburger bun? With Swiss cheese, not yellow American? And fried onions to boot? Now THAT'S over the top. Ever the culinary daredevil, I decide to try it.




You've got the grill going anyway, right? Once you've baked your rye bread, you're only a few simple steps away from this wonderfully comforting (and all-season) sandwich.

Let's make some patty melts; and while we're at it, I've got five rye/patty melt "tricks" to show you.







This will be a "taste and see" proposition for you, with your own recipe and pickle juice; add less salt than you think the dough needs, then more to taste.





Tip: If your starter is liquid enough to be pourable, like heavy cream or pancake batter, don't reduce the flour in your recipe as much.





WHY? Rye dough, with its lower gluten content, can be a challenge to knead. It's inherently sticky. And if you're kneading by hand (or even using a mixer), the tendency is to add more flour – which will make your bread dense and dry.



"Can I bake the bread right in my machine?" Totally depends on your recipe. The only way to find out is to give it a try. That worst that'll happen is you end up with a treat for the birds and squirrels.

Next, consider your pan –


TRY THIS: Bake your rye loaf in a lidded 9" pain de mie pan, instead of a regular 8 1/2" x 4 1/2" or 9" x 5" loaf pan.


WHY? Because the resulting loaf, confined as it rises by the pan's lid, will have a wonderfully dense/close-grained/moist texture.

Think easy "sliceability," perfect for hors d'oeuvres (smoked salmon), toast, and sandwiches.






WHY? Mayonnaise gives grilled bread added flavor, and just as much crunch as butter or oil. Plus there's no need to soften or melt mayo; it's wonderfully spreadable right from the jar.



OK, we've got the bread and cheese.




And the grilled burgers.

Let's build some patty melts!


Assembly is easy.





photo 3(3)

See how evenly golden brown the crust is? That's the mayo doing its thing.



photo 1(1)(1) the last delicious bite!

And THAT, my friends, is the "why" behind rye in July!

PJ Hamel
The Author

About PJ Hamel
