Note: the following recipe takes overnight. Start the recipe 2 days BEFORE you want to bake the Rye Sourdough Bread.

3 packages active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon milk
1 ~ 1/2 cups whole rye flour
1 ~ 1/2 cups water. { It is best to avoid metal containers. }
1 teaspoon white sugar
2 cups water
4 cups rye flour
1 cup buttermilk, room temperature, or { 1 T. lemon or vinegar added to 1 cup sweet milk, will make 1 cup butter milk, let stand 5 minutes. }
1 tsp. baking soda
1 T salt
8 cups flour
1 T caraway seed
The night before making the bread, in a medium sized mixing bowl, dissolve one packet of yeast and the sugar in 2 cups of water. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Stir in the rye flour until the mixture is smooth. Cover and let stand overnight. { or for more sour flavor let stand 2 to 3 days }
The next day, dissolve the remaining packages of yeast in the buttermilk. Add the rye flour mixture, baking soda, salt, 4 cups flour and stir to combine. Add the remaining 4 cups of flour, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring well after each addition { you may not need to add all of the flour }. When the dough has become a smooth mass, turn it out onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and supple. Sprinkle the caraway seeds on the dough and knead them in until they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. About 8 minutes total.
Lightly oil or spray with cooking spray, a large mixing bowl. Place the dough in the bowl. Lightly rub a small amount of oil or spray with cooking spray the top of the dough. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for about 1 hour or until the volume has doubled. Preheat oven to 350°.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide into three pieces. Form each piece into a dome shaped loaf and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Cover and let rise until nearly doubled, about 1 hour. Uncover and slice, 3 ~ 1/8 inch slices on top of each loaf. For a nice soft crust I use the steam technique, I put 1 cup of boiling water in a metal pan on the bottom rack of the oven, I get a nice crust as the result. Great for French bread also.
Bake at 350° for about 30 to 35 minutes or until the loaves sound hollow when tapped. Remove from oven and spray with cooking spray. Makes 3 loafs.