Brine Calculator
Work out how much salt (and sugar) to add for a wet brine, equilibrium brine or ferment.
About the Brine Calculator
Brining seasons meat and helps it stay juicy. A wet brine of 3–8% salt by weight of water works in hours to a day, then the food is rinsed. An equilibrium brine adds salt equal to a percentage of the water and food together, so the food can't get too salty however long it sits: 1–2% for meat, 2–3% for lacto-fermented vegetables.
Different salts have very different volumes for the same weight, so measure by weight. Keep brining meat refrigerated below 4 °C (40 °F).
The formula
Wet: salt = water weight × %; equilibrium: salt = (water + food) × %
Worked example
Example: Salt to add = 227 g (8 oz)
- Inputs: Method: Wet brine (submerge); Water: 1; Water in: US gallons; Salt: 6%.
- Formula: Wet: salt = water weight × %; equilibrium: salt = (water + food) × %
- Result: Salt to add = 227 g (8 oz)
Questions people ask
How long to brine a chicken?
In a 5% brine, about 4–12 hours for a whole bird.
Should I rinse after brining?
For wet brines, a quick rinse removes surface salt.