German-Style Seeded Rye Bread

This recipe takes inspiration from German Vollkornbrot, a dense, hearty loaf with an earthy, tangy flavor. It gets its distinctive dark hue from whole-grain rye flour and usually is packed with seeds and rough-cut rye berries, called rye chops. In the U.S., rye chops can be challenging to source; we instead opt for pantry-friendly pearled farro, which provides a similar texture. Soaking the farro in beer softens it while infusing the grains with ferment-y flavor. We like the maltiness of German Hefeweizen, but feel free to experiment; opting for a bolder brew is a simple way to tweak the bread’s flavor. Sourdough starter and multi-day fermentation make traditional Vollkornbrot notably tart. To capture this quality in a fraction of the time, we mix a portion of the dough’s flour with buttermilk. Either dark rye flour (sometimes called whole rye flour) or medium rye flour works well. The former contains the entire ground rye kernel with nothing sifted out, so brings more assertive earthy and nutty notes. This loaf takes some time to make but is surprisingly easy—no stand mixer required—and it delivers bold, satisfying flavor and hearty texture. To serve, slice thinly and dress with any number of toppings—from a thick layer of butter or jam to slices of cheese or smoked fish. Well wrapped, the bread will keep at room temperature for up to a week.