A Guide to Rye: Flour, Berries, Flakes & More

Rye is most familiar to most of us from its its use as a hearty bread flour. Here’s a basic guide to rye in several forms — flour, whole rye berries, rye flakes (aka rolled rye), and cracked rye — with tips, ideas, and links to recipes.

In addition to bread flour, whole-grain rye yields several versatile products, including rye flakes and cracked rye. Despite all it has going for it, however, worldwide rye cultivation has been on a steady decline.

What is rye, and where did it come from?

The first records of the cultivation of rye date from just before the Christian era. Its ability to withstand cold, wet climates soon made it a staple bread grain in Scandinavia, Russia, and Germany.

Wheat eventually supplanted rye, but rye is still a well-loved bread grain in those countries. North Americans have learned to relish the chewy texture and pleasantly sour flavor of rye bread, too.

Rye Nutrition Notes

Whole-grain rye is 12 percent protein and is rich in the B-vitamin complex. It provides generous amounts of iron, calcium, phosphorus, and potassium. Overall, it contains higher concentrations of these nutrients than does whole wheat. Learn more about the nutrition profile of rye.

RYE FLOUR

Who doesn’t love fresh rye bread? Few breads are more irresistible than fresh, hearty dark rye bread-once considered a “peasant food.” A classic bread grain in Scandinavia and Eastern Europe. Rye bread appreciated everywhere for its very subtle, pleasantly sour flavor and chewy texture.

Dark rye flour, the least refined form of rye flour, is even more nutritious than whole wheat flour. High in good-quality protein, minerals (especially potassium), and the B vitamins, dark rye flour (sometimes labeled stone-ground) is what you should look for in natural food stores, where it’s often sold in bulk.

It looks coarser than light and medium rye flours because it contains all the bran and germ of the whole rye berry.

Light and medium rye flours have been refined of much of the nourishing bran and germ and have a fine texture and pale-gray color. If you’re lucky enough to find rye flour in supermarkets (which isn’t often the case, they’re sold in 5-pound bags.

Homemade Rye Bread by KneadyGirl

Storing rye flour

Store rye flour in a cool, dry place (and preferably in a tightly lidded jar) for up to 2 months. If you plan on keeping it longer than that, or your kitchen tends to be warm, refrigerate it.

Light and medium rye flours are less susceptible to spoilage and can be kept at room temperature somewhat longer.

It’s somewhat impractical to make 100% rye bread, since the gluten content is low, and careful and expert handling are needed. In addition, the dough made from rye flour is very sticky and needs long rising periods.

Combined with wheat flour, it’s easy to get great results. Equal proportions of rye and wheat flours can be used in yeasted breads. From about a quarter to half of the wheat flour may be replaced with rye flour in quick breads and muffins as well.

Recipes using rye flour

RYE BERRIES

Whole rye berries are widely available in natural food stores. Shaped somewhat like a grain of rice, with a deep furrow in the middle, rye berries may be used in much the same way as wheat berries.

Uncooked rye berries are excellent sprouted and in that form, can be added to bread doughs or tossed into green salads.

Basic Cooked Rye Berries: Use 3 1/2 parts water to 1 part grain. Bring the water to a boil, stir in the grain, return to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed, about 45 to 55 minutes.

If the grain is still too firm for you, add another 1/2 cup water for every cup of raw grain that was used, and simmer until it’s absorbed. The berries may be presoaked in water overnight to reduce the cooking time somewhat.

Here’s how to cook rye berries in an Instant Pot.

Recipes using rye berries

CRACKED RYE

Just as the name implies, this is whole, uncooked rye that has been cracked into small pieces. Cracked rye may be used as a tasty substitute for cracked wheat or bulgur. It may not be easy to find in natural foods stores, so search for it online, where you’ll find it in packages from several companies.

Basic Cooked Cracked Rye: Package directions vary quite a bit in terms of how long it takes to cook cracked rye — anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes. That’s likely to be dependent on how coarse the texture is. Best to follow package directions.

Use 3 parts water to 1 part grain. Bring the water to a boil, stir in the grain, return to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, until the water is absorbed. This will take anywhere from 10 to 40 minutes, so follow package directions.

To cook cracked rye in a pressure cooker or Instant Pot®, follow manufacturer’s instructions.

Recipes using cracked rye

Use cracked rye in the same way you’d use cracked wheat or bulgur in tabbouleh.
Cracked Rye and Oat Bread
Nordic Cracked Grain Cereal (swap in plant-based milk)
Swap cracked rye in for cracked wheat in Daliya Upma Breakfast Pilaf.
Swap cracked rye into Cracked Wheat with Sweet Potato Cubes and Tahini Sauce

RYE FLAKES (Rolled rye)

Rye flakes are made from whole rye berries that have been steamed, then flattened with steel rollers. Faster cooking than both the whole berry and cracked rye, rye flakes may be eaten as a substantial hot cereal, added to baked goods, or incorporated into stews and soups.

If you enjoy the taste of rye, you’ll find rye flakes a pleasing way to enjoy its unique flavor. Its cooked texture is just chewy enough to offer a bit of resistance to the tooth. Use rye in the same ways you’d use any rolled cereal.

Basic Cooked Rye Flakes: Use 2 parts water to 1 part grain. Bring the water to a boil, stir in the rye flakes, return to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer, covered, for about 15 to 20 minutes, until the water is absorbed (or according to package instructions). For use as a hot cereal, allow 1/3 to 1/2 cup flakes per serving.