78% Hydration Medium Rye Flour

Is 78% hydration right for Medium Rye Flour?

Medium Rye Flour's workable hydration range is 80–95%. Its absorption multiplier is 1.08× bread flour. 78% is below Medium Rye Flour's typical range. The dough will be stiff and hard to fully develop. Consider moving up to 80% for better extensibility.

Absorption math for Medium Rye Flour at 78%

A recipe written for bread flour at 78% hydration, when substituted with 100% Medium Rye Flour, becomes 84% effective hydration (because Medium Rye Flour absorbs 8% more water). Do NOT knead rye dough (tears pentosan structure). Mix to incorporate, then rest. Very short bulk ferment (2-3 hours at 76°F) — rye ferments fast. Wet hands for shaping. Use a pan or tight banneton. Bake at higher initial temp (500°F) for 15 minutes, then reduce. Internal temp 205-210°F for doneness.

Technique at 78% hydration

Upper range of 'standard' hearth hydration. Benefits from high-extraction flour which tolerates the hydration. Use coil folds instead of stretch-and-folds to build structure without deflating. Cold retard mandatory.

Worked water math for a 500 g batch

Add your levain on top of these weights; the calculator below subtracts the flour and water it already contributes so the bench numbers land at 78% exactly.

What Medium Rye Flour gives you at 78%

At 78% hydration you can expect a very open, glossy, holey crumb — the signature of a high-hydration hearth loaf. A slack, sticky dough: work with wet hands, use coil folds rather than aggressive stretches, give a full bench rest after pre-shaping, and shape decisively — hesitation lets it spread.

Medium Rye Flour at 78% — FAQ

Calculator pre-set to 78%

Weights below assume 100% Medium Rye Flour. For blends, use the main calculator on a recipe page.

Medium Rye Flour at every hydration level

Medium Rye Flour usually works between 80% and 95% hydration — drier gives a stiffer dough, wetter a slacker one. Tap a level for the technique, the absorption math and a calculator set to it.