Black Russian Pumpernickel Bread Mix
Make bread like a big city deli.
For years, this was our bestselling bread mix on Amazon. It's now a top five. Of 163 reviews, 160 are five-stars. That's pretty incredible!
This is my favorite deli sandwich bread. If it's got cheese and meat, especially corned beef or ham, it's got to be Black Russian. (Kami, in our test kitchen, taught me to always put salt and pepper on my deli sandwiches. See below for more sandwich suggestions.)
Black Russian is a pumpernickel bread, so it can be a bit rye-intensive. This is not. You can taste the rye but it's not strong.
For me, this is a sandwich-specific bread. It doesn't have to be, but I often save it for sandwiches. It's my silver bullet. I slice part of my loaf and put it in the freezer. A trip from the freezer to the toaster, and it's ready to go again.
You can't go wrong with a good Black Russian bread.
Your Questions
- What makes black Russian pumpernickel bread black? It's the dark rye flour. Wheat doesn't grow well in the subarctic. This has some wheat flour but also dark rye flour and dark rye meal. The Russians are rightfully proud of their bread.
- Is black Russian bread healthier? The Russians believed that their bread made them sturdier, healthier people. It has 30% more iron and 50% more magnesium and potassium.
- What does it taste like? You can taste the rye. It is definitely a pumpernickel, but I would call it a light rye.
- Is it a crusty bread? It's crustier than a store bought bread but not with a heavy crust like a European sourdough.
- What about the crumb? It's soft and moist and, of course, dark.
- Can you toast it? I do. It makes a really fine, crusty toast. I've put jam and jelly on it, but it's perfect with honey. We carry a star thistle honey, a dark honey that is perfect.
- How does it compare to a big-city deli? It's perfect and authentic. There is a big-city restaurant chain with black bread; this is better.
- So, is this good for sandwiches? It was meant for sandwiches. You can do anything that you can in a deli with this. Rueben sandwiches are perfect on black Russian.
Dennis Weaver
If you want to impress your friends, make meat and cheese sandwiches on this bread.
This is one of our most popular breads—on Amazon, it was our most popular. It's real bread, with a little substance. This is the bread I want if I'm looking for a meat sandwich.
Put this on your bucket list. It's an experience you don't want to miss.
Suggestions for use:
Black Russian Bread is famous for deli sandwiches but pigs in a blanket are a lot of fun too.
Here's how to make pigs in a blanket using Black Russian Bread.
How to Make Your Sandwiches Better
Instead of using mayo alone on your sandwich, and some flavor with a sauce or dressing. I use Thai Sweet Chilli and mix it into the mayo to give it a little kick.
In our test kitchen, we've often used a vinegarette instead of mayo. Vinegareete gives a wonderful splash of flavor to a sandwich.
Always add pepper and salt. It's amazing how pepper and salt will elevate your sandwich.
See how to make Swiss and Corned Beef Sandwiches.
His and hers burgers: A Salsa Bread Burger and a Black Russian Burger
How to Make Homemade Hamburger Buns
You can make hamburger buns out of any bread mix. We have nearly a hundred choices. All of a sudden, burgers aren't ordinary. Explore and choose what you want. Don't get stuck in a rut. Switch to something else.
And homemade bread is much, much better than store buns. And they're not hard to make.
A large bread mix will make 8 to 10 buns. Freeze any leftovers and thaw them on the grill.
- Make the dough according to the package instructions. If you're mixing the dough in a bread machine, cycle 8 is the program for dough on most machines.
- Using a bench scraper or sharp knife, divide the dough into 8-10 equal pieces.
- Form each piece into a ball by pulling the dough around the center and pinching the seam at the bottom of the roll.
- Place each ball of dough onto a greased or parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Using the back of your hand, flatten each ball into a disc. Because the dough has a tendency to spring back, repeat this process after a few minutes.
- Let these buns rise covered (preferably in a proofing bag) in a warm area until they double in size. If you have a cool kitchen, it will take an hour or more. When they have risen, bubbles begin to form under the dough skin. If blisters form, pop them with the point of a knife and hurry them to the oven.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for 15-18 minutes until the tops are golden.
- Remove the buns from the baking sheet immediately, and let them cool on a wire rack. Once cooled, slice them in half, and now you’re ready to assemble some beautiful burgers!
This black Russian pumpernickel bread is unique. It has a complex flavor--rye flour, rye meal, and ground caraway. But a Rueben sandwich can match it, balancing flavor against flavor with sour kraut, corned beef, swiss cheese, and a touch of Thousand Island dressing. That's a lot of flavor in a sandwich. But it works.
If you like strong flavors, you can pile them on, but in a balance, this sandwich is for you. The combination of flavors is fantastic. Give it a try.
Ingredients:
- 2 slices of bread, thickly sliced
- Thousand Island salad dressing
- Swiss cheese, very thinly sliced
- Deli-style corned beef, thinly sliced
- sauerkraut
- olive oil or melted butter
Directions:
Spread one side of each slice of bread with the Thousand Island dressing. Place a layer of cheese on one slice of bread over the dressing, then corned beef, then sauerkraut, and then another layer of cheese. Top with another slice of bread. Brush the outside of the sandwich with olive oil or melted butter.
Cook on the heated grill pan or griddle, with the cheese side down and topped with a panini press until it's crisp and crunchy. If you are not using a panini press, turn the sandwich after one side is cooked.
Baker’s note: The cheese is placed next to the bread so that it will melt easily while grilling.