Homemade Rye Bread

I've always liked rye bread - the crunch of the caraway seeds and the overall tang in the bread.

I've made it my bread machine before, but it always turned out dense. This recipe, however, is lighter and not dense at all. It's not a dark rye loaf. And I really, really like it that way.

We eat this bread along soup or as the base for a good pastrami or BLT sandwich. It's perfectly tangy, too, from the addition of pickle juice! So good!

Here's what you need:

1 cup warm water
2 1/2 teas yeast
1 1/2 TBSP sugar
1/4 cup olive oil or melted butter
1/4 cup dill pickle juice (I just strain it straight from the pickle jar)
2 cups unbleached bread flour (I use King Arthur)
1 cup rye flour
2 TBSP vital wheat gluten
2 TBSP caraway seeds
1 1/2 teas sea salt

In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the water, yeast and sugar.  Allow to stand for about 5 minutes or until puffy.

Stir in the remaining ingredients. Using the dough hook, mix the dough until it's combined but still a little sticky and shaggy looking. Cover and let rise for 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes, knead with the dough hook again until smooth, adding a little more flour if necessary. Place the dough in an oiled bowl, cover and let rise until doubled, about an hour.

Punch the dough down and shape into a loaf. Place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Alternatively, you can shape the dough and put it into a greased 9x5 loaf pan. Using a sharp knife, make a slash down the center of the loaf lengthwise. Cover and let rise for another hour.

Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. Brush with melted butter to soften the crust a little.

Here's a closer look so you can see the caraway seeds:

After enjoying this bread, my family never wants to go back to store bought rye bread again!