Brine Calculator
Enter your water volume and target salinity to get the exact amount of salt needed for a perfect brine. Choose from wet brine (soaking), dry brine (rubbing), or equilibrium brine (precise curing). The calculator covers meats, pickles, and fermented vegetables, with recommended salt percentages built in for each food type. Switch between grams, ounces, liters, and cups - everything updates as you type.
What is a brine?
A brine is a solution of salt dissolved in water, used to flavor, tenderize, preserve, or ferment food. Salt draws moisture from the food by osmosis, then the concentrated salty water flows back in, seasoning the interior and altering texture. For meats, this means juicier, more evenly seasoned results after cooking. For vegetables and fish, salt inhibits harmful bacteria while allowing beneficial lactobacillus cultures to thrive, producing the tangy, probiotic-rich flavors of pickles, sauerkraut, and kimchi.
Wet brine, equilibrium brine, and dry brine - which should you use?
A wet brine submerges food in a salt-water solution. The salt percentage is expressed relative to the water weight, typically 4-7% for poultry and pork, and 2-5% for vegetables. It works quickly and is forgiving, but can dilute flavor if over-brined. An equilibrium brine calculates salt as a fraction of the total system weight (meat plus water combined). Because the salt can never exceed your target concentration, over-brining is nearly impossible - ideal for precision curing. Dry brining skips the water entirely: salt is rubbed onto the surface, draws moisture out, then dissolves and is reabsorbed. It produces a crispier skin on poultry and a more concentrated flavor in meat. Choose wet brine for quick results, equilibrium brine for fuss-free precision, and dry brine for crisp-skinned roasts.
How to use this calculator
Select your brine type, then choose the food you are brining to load a recommended salt percentage. Adjust the percentage if you have a preferred level. Enter your water volume (for wet or equilibrium brine) or food weight (for dry brine). The calculator returns the exact salt weight in grams plus your chosen units, the final brine concentration, and a scaling ratio so you can adjust the recipe up or down. The chart shows how salt requirements change as you vary the water or food amount, making it easy to scale a batch.
Fermentation vs. preservation brine concentrations
Lacto-fermentation uses a relatively mild brine - typically 2-3% for most vegetables - that suppresses harmful bacteria while allowing salt-tolerant Lactobacillus to produce lactic acid. Higher concentrations (above 5%) slow or halt fermentation but extend shelf life. Very high brines (10-12%) are used for long-term preservation of olives and some cheeses. Meat brining for cooking uses a different logic: 5-7% wet brine is enough to season and tenderize in a few hours; you are not trying to preserve the meat, just improve its texture and flavor before cooking.
Choosing the right salt
This calculator uses weight (grams) as the primary unit, which is the most reliable way to measure salt because different salt types vary greatly in volume. A cup of fine table salt weighs about 290 g, while a cup of coarse kosher salt weighs only 130-160 g depending on the brand. For fermentation, use non-iodized salt: iodine can inhibit the beneficial bacteria you are trying to cultivate. Fine sea salt, pickling salt, and kosher salt (without anti-caking agents) are all suitable. Weigh your salt on a kitchen scale whenever precision matters.
Recommended salt percentages by food
| Food | Wet brine % | Equilibrium % | Dry brine % | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicken | 5-7% | 0.8-1.2% | 1.5% | Refrigerate 4-12 h |
| Turkey | 5-7% | 0.8-1.2% | 1.5% | Refrigerate 12-24 h |
| Pork | 4-6% | 0.8-1.2% | 1.5% | Refrigerate 4-12 h |
| Beef | 4-6% | 0.8-1.2% | 1.5% | Refrigerate 6-24 h |
| Fish | 3-5% | 0.6-0.8% | 1.0% | Refrigerate 30-60 min |
| Shrimp | 3-5% | 0.6-0.8% | 1.0% | Refrigerate 15-30 min |
| Cucumber (pickles) | 3-5% | 3-5% | 2.0% | Ferment 3-7 days at room temp |
| Cabbage (kraut) | 2% | 2% | 2.0% | Ferment 1-4 weeks |
| Garlic | 3% | 3% | 2.5% | Ferment 7-14 days |
| Olives | 8-12% | 8-12% | 8.0% | Ferment 1-6 months |
| Mixed vegetables | 2-3% | 2-3% | 2.0% | Ferment 3-7 days |
Salt percentage targets used by food scientists and fermenters. Wet brine = salt as % of water weight. Equilibrium = salt as % of total system. Dry brine = salt as % of food weight.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage brine should I use for chicken?
For a wet brine, 5-7% salt by water weight is the standard range for chicken. At 6%, a 1-liter brine uses 60 g of salt. Brine for 4-8 hours in the refrigerator. For equilibrium brining, use 0.8-1.2% of the combined meat-plus-water weight; this method is harder to over-brine because the salt concentration naturally plateaus at your target.
How is wet brine percentage calculated?
Wet brine percentage = (salt weight / water weight) x 100. If you use 60 g of salt in 1000 g (1 liter) of water, the brine is 6%. Note this is slightly different from final salinity, which is salt as a fraction of the total solution (salt plus water): 60 / (60 + 1000) x 100 = 5.66%. Most recipes express percentage relative to water only, which is what this calculator uses.
What is equilibrium brining and why is it more accurate?
Equilibrium brining calculates the salt relative to the total weight of the meat and water together. Because the salt can never exceed the target concentration, you cannot over-brine - the meat simply absorbs salt until it reaches equilibrium with the liquid. This takes longer (usually 24-48 hours per 2.5 cm of thickness) but delivers precisely seasoned results every time. Use it when you need repeatable, professional-quality curing.
Why should I weigh salt instead of measuring by volume?
Different salts have very different densities. Fine table salt weighs about 290 g per cup, while Diamond Crystal kosher salt weighs only about 130 g per cup. Measuring by volume can lead to a brine that is 50% stronger or weaker than intended. Weighing on a kitchen scale is the only reliable way to hit a target percentage.
How long should I brine meat?
A general guideline for wet or equilibrium brining is 30-60 minutes per 500 g for thin cuts, or 4-8 hours for a whole chicken. A large turkey may need 12-24 hours. Fish and shrimp are delicate and need only 15-60 minutes. Dry brining is often left overnight (8-24 hours) or up to 3 days for thick cuts, as the salt needs time to be reabsorbed after drawing out surface moisture.
What salt percentage do I use for lacto-fermented pickles?
For cucumber pickles, 3-5% brine by water weight is standard. Below 2% the brine is too weak to reliably suppress harmful bacteria. Above 5% fermentation slows noticeably. A 3.5% brine is a reliable starting point: use 35 g of salt per liter of water. Olives are an exception and need 8-12% to control bitterness and ensure safe fermentation over the longer curing period.
Can I use this calculator for cheese brine?
Yes. Most fresh cheeses are brined at 17-20% saturated brine. Enter the water volume and set the salt percentage to your target. At 20%, you will add 200 g of salt per liter of water. Note that saturated brine (about 26%) is the physical maximum at room temperature, beyond which salt will not dissolve. For aged hard cheeses, 18-20% brine at 4 degrees C (39 degrees F) is typical.