Danish Rugbrød

Rugbrød is the dense, seeded rye bread at the heart of Danish eating, and the foundation of smørrebrød, the open-faced sandwiches we’ll learn to make together in Copenhagen on my 2027 culinary tour of Denmark. Bake a loaf at home and get a taste of what’s ahead.

Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

• 1 cup sourdough starter (I used Yvonne Prinz’s Parisian starter)

• 3 cups rye flour

• 1 cup water

• 1 cup dark beer

• ¼ cup melted butter

• 1 tsp sea salt

• ½ cup steel cut oats

• ¼ cup sesame seeds

• ¼ cup almonds, millet, amaranth or rye berries

Directions

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large mixing bowl and mix well. You can use your hands or a wooden spoon.

2. Cover the bowl with a clean towel and let it sit for 12–24 hours, until it doubles in volume.

3. Spoon the dough into a greased and floured long, narrow rectangular pan (4" by 12").

4. Use wet hands to smooth the surface of the bread.

5. Cover the pan and let rise for 1–3 hours, or until the dough reaches the top of the pan.

6. Bake at 325°F for 1 hour. Cool on a wire rack and store in a zip-lock bag.

7. The bread will keep 1–2 weeks at room temperature.

© 2026 Chef Alison Negrin, all rights reserved

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