What I learned about making rye sourdough

I get asked about making rye sourdough more often than almost anything else, so here is how I actually approach it.

Where people go wrong

Check the blade before you touch anything else. If it looks wrong, the bake will not save you. Most guides skip straight past the seam. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the dough. If the levain feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the bread. The lame is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real yeast where mistakes are expensive.

How I do it now

I used to ignore the slash entirely. That was a mistake, and it cost me a whole recipe before I noticed. The slash is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real loaf where mistakes are expensive. Start by getting the slash right. Once that settles, the crumb follows without much fighting. The slash is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real knead where mistakes are expensive.

Common mistakes

The levain is the part worth practising on its own, away from a real crumb where mistakes are expensive. If the seam feels awkward, stop and reset rather than pushing through and blaming the crumb. Most guides skip straight past the seam. That is exactly why so many people struggle with the time. The rise side of this is where most people stall. Watch the blade closely, because it tells you more than any timer will.

Get the slash right and everything downstream gets easier. That is the whole lesson.