You may have started to notice an increase in products that use rye, it's having somewhat of a moment. However, we think there are a number of factors that will mean this is not just a fad, but an ingredient that is here to stay.
What is Rye?
Cultivated rye has the catchy botanical name - Secale cereale L. It is a crop within the Tritceae, wheatgrass tribe, which also includes wheat and barley. Rye grains are more pointed and longer than wheat and barley, about 5-9mm in length and characterised by their bluish green colour and grow well in wetter, colder environments, such as Northern Europe and Russia.
Why Rye, why now? The health benefits of Rye.
Whether in the form of vitamins added to drinks, protein bars or products with added fibre, health foods, are taking over the market. Conversely, consumers are also looking out for products that are more natural, or ‘rustic’. We see this in the diversifying of the bread market, with seeded loaves and sourdough becoming more and more popular.
Rye appears to tick both boxes with its extensive health benefits, more rustic appearance and earthy flavour.
It is an excellent source of fibre and is unusual in that it contains a high level of fibre in its endosperm, not just the bran. Fibre helps lower cholesterol, improve gut health and regulate blood sugar.
Products that are high in fibre also tend to have a lower glycaemic index (Low GI). This promotes a rapid feeling of fullness, making rye foods a good choice for people trying to lose weight.
Wholegrain rye is a good source of magnesium, phosphorus, copper, selenium, manganese and niacin (Vitamin B3).
Rye ingredients and applications
At Silvery Tweed Cereals we process around 1,100 tonnes of rye grain per annum, with winter rye being grown at our farm, The Mead. All of our grain is quality assured and generally falls under the SQC or Red Tractor scheme. As a standard, the grain is fully traceable back to the field.
Dressed Rye
Dressed rye has been cleaned to remove contaminants and can be referred to as rye berries or rye kernels. Silvery Tweed cleans rye through a series of processes, including a classifier, de-stoner, optical sorter and magnets.
Rye berries can be used interchangeably with wheat berries in most recipes, and work especially well in casseroles, pilaffs and grain salads.
Rye Flour
Rye was known as the “Peasant Grain”. In the 19th Century, wholegrains and wholegrain flours such as rye were replaced by refined white flour, as it became more affordable and accessible; however, as with other wholegrains, rye is seeing a comeback for its health benefits and as a crop.
Rye grain can be milled to different extractions, giving a range of flours varying from dark to light. At Silvery Tweed, we produce a Wholemeal Rye Flour, which is dark in colour.
Rye flour adds a distinct, rich flavour to baked goods, especially in yeast breads. It contains different proteins compared to wheat, which do not create the same cohesiveness in gluten bonds as the protein in wheat; Rye products are thus typically denser than their wheat equivalents. Rye Flour is often mixed with wheat flour in recipes.
Rye Bread
Rye has a long tradition as a raw material for breadmaking in the Baltic and Scandinavian countries, Poland, Germany and Russia. The traditional rye bread is a dark sour bread that is rich and slightly tangy, and works well in Eastern European recipes, especially with cabbage, beets, mustard, raisins and sweet-and-sour flavours. The bread is nutritious and typically quite dense in texture.
The flavour and structure of the bread depend on flour type, ingredients, the type of sourdough used, the quantity used, baking conditions, and size and type of bread.
Light rye flours and mixtures of wheat and rye flour are often used to give a less dense-textured bread.
Pumpernickel bread is probably one of the most famous breads made with rye flour. This is a yeast-leavened bread made with the darkest rye flour.
Crispbreads
Rye crispbread originated from Sweden, and although it is now eaten worldwide, it is still more prevalent in the Nordic countries. It traditionally consists of wholemeal rye flour, salt, and water, although there are now lots of variations. Crispbreads have a great shelf life due to a very low water content.
Rye Flakes
Silvery Tweed take cleaned rye and micronise it before rolling it into flakes. The Rye Flakes can be used in mueslis, granolas and cereal bars and are great in baked goods, added in the dough or as a topping. Flaked rye is popular with brewers, as it has a slightly milder flavour impact compared to the malted version and builds a beer’s body.
Mini rye flakes are also produced by rolling kibbled rye. These make an interesting inclusion in multigrain porridges, as they cook quickly and are also a good addition in bakery items, where particle size can be an issue (such as in wraps and flatbreads).
Kibbled Rye
Silvery Tweed produces different types of kibbled rye; Cut Dressed Rye, sometimes known as “Cracked Rye” is simply rye that has been cleaned and cut and Kibbled Torrified Rye is treated with infra-red heat before cutting to give a nutty flavour.
These kibbled rye products can be used to add texture and flavour to breads and other baked goods, such as biscuits. They can also be used as toppings.
Organic Rye
If you are developing organic products, we have organic certified options of our rye products available.
Malted Rye
Silvery Tweed Cereals also have two products in their portfolio made from Red Rye Crystal Malt, Kibbled Red Rye and Red Rye Malt Flour. These make great additions to bread as they impart a red hue and a well-rounded, sweet, malty flavour.
Whiskey and Beer
In the United States, rye is best known for its use in producing whiskeys. Rye Whiskey must be distilled from a mash containing at least 51% rye and is known for imparting a spicy or fruity flavour to the whiskey
Rye can also be used in place of a portion of malted barley during the brewing process to create a distinctive beer. Roggenbier, which is originated in Bavaria, uses up to 60% malt rye.
A versatile and nutritious grain.
As you can see, Rye can be used in many applications. It is a truly diverse grain with a lot to offer, especially flavour and fibre.
Find out more about our Rye products here, or get in touch with our team directly.