Decent supermarket rye (and/or pumpernickel) - do they exist?

Except OP is looking for an American supermarket substitute for American Jewish deli-style rye and pumpernickel, which are completely different items.

Mismatch in expectations versus offerings. Someone who received German pumpernickel in a Jewish deli would be upset/disappointed/perplexed/pick your adjective.
To me this is kind of like getting upset that you get a soft crumbled chorizo in Mexico and not the hard dried sausage of Spain. They’re very different foods with different applications, flavors, and textures. They just happen to have the same name.

May you never confuse American and French Munster cheeses. My husband made that mistake and nearly knocked out half the plane with his cave-aged stowed in the overhead compartment :sweat_smile:

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Verklempt, for sure :grimacing:

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In that case I haven’t found a better one than what you can back at home quite easily yourself with a high hydration dough. Most supermarkt deli-style rye breads are so tasteless (one of the reasons Katz’s pastrami sandwich is such a disappointment compared to Langer’s which is one of the better deli-style rye breads)

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But that’s not the OP’s question.

The OP is looking for supermarket rye (or pumpernickel) knowing full well that it is not going to be as good as homemade.

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My dad usually buys Arnold and it’s pretty good. The texture is somewhere between white sandwich bread and a bakery rye. The unseeded does have some ground caraway as a flavoring, so if that’s the flavor you’re looking for, it’s there.

I think many people don’t realize how easy it is to make such better tasting bread - otherwise I would look for either a German influenced shop or bakery where OP lives - their deli-style rye tends to be better tasting

I am pretty sure biondanonima, the OP and given her posting history, is well versed in baking breads of all types, and the ease (or lack of ease) in doing so.

She is asking for a specific recommendation. Why insult her with unresponsive answers?

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Okay, but can we talk about making pastrami sandwiches with crumbly German pumpernickel? I’m still perplexed :joy:

J/k John…

Thanks everyone for the recs! I will be sure to post back after I try my next contender.

As for this, I absolutely adore this type of bread (the Mestemacher brand is always in my pantry) but definitely cannot imagine trying to make a pastrami sandwich with it, unless open-faced. Not that that would be bad… :smiley:

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Since when is German rye crumbly or did you mean pumpernickel ?

Oh oops, yes, I mistyped. Correcting.

I could google this but…is Boston brown bread in any way related to German pumpernickel? It’s steamed. I think it’s probably much sweeter.

That’s a quickbread, not yeasted (and steamed, as you said).

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yes, Boston brown bread is a quick bread. I’ve lived in Boston for almost 35 years and I’ve never seen it at a restaurant or in any supermarket or bakery.

However, I would like to try making it at home, when I finally get over my respiratory virus.

Here’s some of the history. I don’t think it would be good at all as a sandwich bread. And if I do get the energy to try this recipe, I’d reduce both the sugar and the molasses.

https://ansonmills.com/recipes/437

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My mom made it when I was a kid. We always had it warm with butter, never for sandwiches. She generally made it on the same day she made baked beans.

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I would see it in cans in the “international” section of Giant foods in DC :joy:.

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Though not super Markets I would think that the Polish Markets in Queens or Russian Markets in Brighton would be good bets for finding good Rye Loaves

Thank you for the link. Loved the history. My mother would serve Boston Brown Bread out of the can occasionally. She loved the stuff. When she was a Pampered Chef rep she was her own best customer and bought just about everything for everyone, including the device they offered (I believe) for steaming bread. I may have one around here somewhere too. Now I’m hungry for some steamed brown bread!

Amazon.com: B & M BREAD BROWN RAISIN, 16 oz (Pack of 2) : Grocery & Gourmet Food

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