This brine calculator works out exact salt amounts for wet and dry brining by percentage — the method that never produces the lottery of “a handful per gallon” — including equilibrium-brine math and a curing-salt (Prague Powder #1) option for bacon and ham projects.
Percentages End Brine Roulette
“1 cup of salt per gallon” swings from 4% to 7% depending on the salt’s crystal — table, Morton and Diamond Crystal kosher differ by nearly 2× per cup. By weight it’s exact: salt = base weight × target % (2–3% keeps most meats pleasantly seasoned; equilibrium brining keys the percentage to meat + water combined so it physically cannot overshoot). Portion planning meets curing on our Meat Per Person Calculator. Part of our Food Calculators collection.
Worked Example (Verified)
- 2 L water at 2.5% (defaults, wet): salt = 2,000 g × 0.025 = 50 g — the classic Thanksgiving turkey brine concentration
- Equilibrium version, 2 kg turkey breast in 2 L: base = 4,000 g → 100 g salt for a true 2.5% throughout, given 2–3 days to equalize
- Dry-brined steak, 1 kg at 1%: 10 g — about 2 tsp kosher, 24 hours ahead, uncovered for the dry-aged-style crust
- Curing math at 0.25% Prague Powder #1 on a 3 kg belly: 7.5 g curing salt delivering the standard ~156 ppm nitrite — measure it on a gram scale, never by spoon optimism
Safety Rails
- Curing salt (#1, 6.25% nitrite) is dosed at 0.25% of meat weight for a reason — more is not safer or better; respect the number gram-for-gram.
- Brine cold (≤ 40 °F / 4 °C), always refrigerated; discard used brine — it does not get a second job as marinade or sauce.
- Equilibrium claims require time: an EQ brine pulled at hour six is just a weak brine, not a balanced one.
- Rinse-or-not is taste, not safety; a brief rinse + pat dry tames surface salt on short brines.
Related Tools
- Meat Per Person Calculator — how much meat before how to brine it
- Cups to Grams Converter — weight-first thinking for the whole kitchen
- Food Calculators — the full collection
Frequently Asked Questions
How much salt do I put in a brine?
By weight: 2–3% of the water for a classic wet brine (25 g per liter at 2.5%), 2–3.5% of meat + water combined for equilibrium brining, and ~0.75–1.25% of meat weight for dry brining steak-style cuts (up to 2% for roasts). This calculator turns the percentage into grams for your exact setup.
What’s the difference between wet, equilibrium and dry brining?
Classic wet: strong salt solution, short time, can overshoot if forgotten. Equilibrium: the percentage is calculated on meat + water together, so the system settles exactly at your target — slower, foolproof. Dry: no water at all; salt draws out then reabsorbs the meat’s juices, concentrating flavor without diluting it.
Why weigh salt instead of using cups?
Because a cup of Diamond Crystal kosher weighs ~145 g while a cup of table salt weighs ~290 g — the same “1 cup per gallon” recipe doubles or halves in strength by brand. Grams are grams in every kitchen on Earth, which is the entire point of percentage brining.
How long should meat brine?
Rule of thumb: ~1 hour per pound for wet-brined poultry pieces, 12–24 h for a whole turkey, a few hours for chops, and 24 h per inch of thickness for dry brines. Equilibrium brines trade speed for certainty — thick cuts need 2–7 days to fully equalize.
Do I need curing salt for regular brining?
No — plain salt brines chicken, pork and turkey beautifully. Prague Powder #1 (with nitrite) is specifically for cured products — bacon, ham, corned beef — where it provides the pink color, cured flavor and botulism protection during long cures and smokes. Don’t swap it 1:1 for table salt in a normal brine.
Is this brine calculator free?
Yes — free, instant, no sign-up.