Skip to brine calculator

Brine Calculator

Calculate salt for wet, dry, or equilibrium brines from water or meat weight. Grams are the result; cups are approximate by salt type.

This calculator performs brine and salt-percentage math. It does not determine whether a preservation, fermentation, curing, or canning process is safe.

How much salt do I need for a brine?

For a wet brine using the water-weight convention, multiply the water weight by the target salt percentage. A 5% brine for 1 US gallon of water requires about 189 g of salt.

  • 1 US gallon at 5% ≈ 189 g
  • 1 US quart at 5% ≈ 47 g
  • 1 liter at 5% = 50 g

Choose Dry if you are salting meat by weight, or Reverse if you already mixed a batch and want the percentage. Size a turkey first with the Turkey Serving Calculator, then thaw it with the Meat Thaw Time Calculator.

By Muhammad Abdullah Rauf · Founder, EverydayTools.proUpdated 2026-09-20· Reviewed by EverydayTools Editorial Team

What Is a Brine Calculator?

Most kitchen wet brines define salinity as percent salt by water weight, not by turkey weight and not by the finished solution.

A 5% wet brine means 5 g of salt for every 100 g of water. One US gallon of water is about 3,785 g, so 3,785 × 5% = 189.25 g, displayed as 189 g.

Dry brine uses food weight instead. Equilibrium uses food and water together. Reverse mode checks a measured batch.

Weigh salt in grams. Cup amounts change with brand — Diamond Crystal is much lighter per cup than Morton or table salt.

Pick the mode that matches your method, weigh salt in grams, and treat food presets as starting examples — not official recipes.

How to Calculate Brine

Decide the percentage basis

Water weight, food weight, or food + water. The same 5% means three different amounts of salt.

Convert the liquid or food to grams

1 US gallon ≈ 3,785 g. 1 liter = 1,000 g. 1 lb ≈ 453.6 g.

Multiply by the salt percentage

Salt = basis × percent ÷ 100. Round only after the math.

Weigh the salt

Use grams. Convert to cups only after you know the brand.

Brine Calculator Formula

The calculator keeps full precision internally and rounds only for display. Water density is treated as about 1 g/mL for ordinary kitchen work.

Formula

Wet brine: Salt = Water × Salt %
Dry brine: Salt = Food × Salt %
Equilibrium: Salt = (Food + Water) × Salt %
Reverse percentage: Salt % = Salt ÷ Water × 100
Reverse water: Water = Salt ÷ (Salt % / 100)

Assumptions

  • Water density ≈ 1 g/mL; 1 US gallon ≈ 3,785 g.
  • Wet % is of water weight unless you choose equilibrium.
  • Salt cup densities: table ≈ 292 g/cup, fine sea ≈ 280, Morton kosher ≈ 240, Diamond Crystal ≈ 140.

Limitations

  • Does not calculate brining time, pink curing salt, or fermentation safety.
  • Food presets are examples, not official recipes.
  • Cup, tablespoon, and teaspoon outputs are estimates.
  • Sugar does not change the salt percentage.

Sources

Worked brine examples

Example 1 — 1 gallon at 5% (wet)

Input

Wet · 1 US gallon · 5%

Output

189 g salt

3,785 g water × 5% = 189.25 g, displayed as 189 g. This is the common US wet-brine anchor, not a food-safety rule.

Example 2 — 1 quart at 5% (wet)

Input

Wet · 1 US quart · 5%

Output

≈ 47 g salt

A quart is one-fourth of a US gallon, so the salt is about 47 g.

Example 3 — 1 liter at 3% (wet)

Input

Wet · 1 L · 3%

Output

30 g salt

1,000 g water × 3% = 30 g. A common pickle-style starting example — not a fermentation certificate.

Example 4 — 5 lb dry brine at 1%

Input

Dry · 5 lb food · 1%

Output

≈ 22.7 g salt

5 × 453.592 g × 1% ≈ 22.7 g. Dry percentages are not interchangeable with wet percentages.

Example 5 — Equilibrium at 1.5%

Input

Equilibrium · 1,000 g food + 1,000 g water · 1.5%

Output

30 g salt

(1,000 + 1,000) × 1.5% = 30 g. That is a different basis from a 5% wet brine of water alone.

Wet Brine, Dry Brine, Turkey, and Fermentation

Wet brine calculator

Enter the water you will actually use. A 5% wet brine is 5 g salt per 100 g water. That is not 5% of the finished solution — 189 g salt in 3,785 g water is about 4.76% of the combined brine.

Dry brine calculator

Choose Dry and enter the meat weight. One percent of 5 lb is about 22.7 g. Wet and dry percentages are not interchangeable.

Equilibrium brine calculator

Choose Equilibrium and enter food plus water. Salt = (food + water) × target %. Starting examples are often near 1.5% — follow a tested recipe.

Turkey, chicken, and pork

Use Wet with the water that covers the meat and a target such as 5% as an example starting point. Measure the water, not a guess from last year. Size the bird with the Turkey Serving Calculator first.

Pickle and fermentation brine

A 3% wet brine is 30 g salt per liter of water. Weighing salt is more repeatable than cups. Fermentation percentages vary by food and method. This calculator does conversion, not safety validation.

Brine percentage calculator

Choose Reverse, then Find brine %. Enter the salt and water you already used. Salt % = salt ÷ water × 100 under the wet water-weight convention.

How much salt per gallon?

Wet brine, water-weight percent. 1 US gallon ≈ 3,785 g water. Ounces are weight ounces.

Brine %Salt per gallon≈ ounces
3%~114 g4.0 oz
4%~151 g5.3 oz
5%~189 g6.7 oz
6%~227 g8.0 oz
8%~303 g10.7 oz

Weigh grams when you can. Cup amounts depend on the salt brand.

How much salt per quart or liter?

Same wet water-weight convention, scaled to a quart or a liter.

Brine %Per US quartPer liter
3%~28 g30 g
4%~38 g40 g
5%~47 g50 g
6%~57 g60 g
8%~76 g80 g

1 liter at 5% is exactly 50 g because 1,000 × 5% = 50.

Wet vs dry vs equilibrium brining

The percentage number only makes sense after you know what it is based on.

MethodPercentage based onTypical purpose
WetWaterMeat submerged in brine
DryFoodSalt applied directly
EquilibriumFood + waterTarget final salinity

Do not reuse a 5% wet number as a 5% dry or equilibrium target.

Common Brine Calculator Mistakes

Treating wet and dry percentages as the same thing

Wet % is of water. Dry % is of food. A 5% wet brine is not a 5% dry brine.

Measuring salt by cups without salt density

A cup of table salt is much heavier than a cup of Diamond Crystal. Weigh grams.

Using food weight when the recipe means water weight

If the recipe says 5% brine for a pot of water, use Wet mode.

Confusing salt percentage with total-solution percentage

5% wet brine here is 5% of the water. The finished water + salt mix is a little lower.

Forgetting gallon, quart, and liter conversions

1 US gallon ≈ 3,785 g. 1 quart ≈ 946 g. 1 liter = 1,000 g.

Assuming all kosher salts have the same density

Morton and Diamond Crystal pack differently. Change salt type only for cup estimates.

Treating the output as a food-safety recommendation

The number is math. Time, temperature, and tested recipes decide safety.

Using a fermentation percentage without a tested process

3% is a common starting example, not a guarantee that vegetables will ferment safely.

Assuming a 5% brine means 5% of the final solution

On this page, 5% wet means 5 g salt per 100 g water.

Relying on volume when precision matters

Use the gram result on a scale whenever you can.

How to Use the Brine Calculator

  1. Choose Wet, Dry, Equilibrium, or Reverse

    Wet dissolves salt in water. Dry salts meat by weight. Equilibrium targets food + water. Reverse finds the percentage or the water needed.

  2. Enter your water or food amount

    Use gallons, quarts, cups, fluid ounces, liters, or milliliters for water, and pounds, ounces, grams, or kilograms for food.

  3. Select the unit and salt percentage

    Enter the target % or tap a common example. Override any preset.

  4. Choose salt type if you want volume estimates

    Salt type changes approximate cups only. The gram result stays the same.

  5. Read grams first

    Use cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons only as convenience measurements.

  6. Review the formula

    The result card shows the exact multiplication or division used.

  7. Follow a tested recipe when safety matters

    This page does math. It does not calculate brining time or preservation safety.

When this tool isn't the right choice

Canning, curing, or shelf-stable preservation

This page does not calculate botulism risk, pink curing salt, or canning safety. Use a tested process.

Brining time

Time depends on thickness, temperature, and method. The calculator only returns salt and concentration.

Advertisement

Frequently Asked Questions

How much salt do I need for 1 gallon of brine?

At 5% wet brine, about 189 g. At 3% about 114 g, at 6% about 227 g. That uses 1 US gallon ≈ 3,785 g water.

How much salt is in a 5% brine?

5 g of salt for every 100 g of water under the wet water-weight convention. One liter needs 50 g. One US gallon needs about 189 g.

What does a 5% brine mean?

Here it means salt weighs 5% of the water, not 5% of the bird and not 5% of the finished solution. 189 g salt in 3,785 g water is about 4.76% of the combined brine.

Is brine percentage based on water or total weight?

Classic wet brines on this page use water weight. Equilibrium uses food + water. Reverse can show both the water-weight % and the finished solution %.

How do I calculate brine percentage?

Wet: salt ÷ water × 100. Dry: salt ÷ food × 100. Equilibrium: salt ÷ (food + water) × 100. Use Reverse to check a measured batch.

What is the difference between wet and dry brining?

Wet dissolves salt in water and submerges food. Dry rubs salt on the food with no water in the salt math. Use the matching mode so the percentage basis is correct.

How much salt per quart for a 5% brine?

About 47 g. A US quart is one-fourth of a US gallon.

How much salt per liter for a 5% brine?

50 g. One liter of water is 1,000 g, and 1,000 × 5% = 50.

How much salt do I need for a turkey brine?

Measure the water that covers the bird, then use Wet mode. Many recipes use an example around 5% of that water. Size the turkey with the Turkey Serving Calculator and thaw it first. This is not a time or safety calculator.

Can I use table salt instead of kosher salt?

Yes if you match grams. Table salt is denser, so a cup of table salt is much saltier than a cup of Diamond Crystal. Change salt type only for cup estimates.

Why are Diamond Crystal and Morton measurements different?

Crystal shape changes packing. This tool estimates Diamond Crystal ≈ 140 g/cup and Morton ≈ 240 g/cup. Same brine strength needs the same grams, not the same cups.

Should I weigh salt instead of using cups?

Yes when precision matters. Grams are the authoritative result. Cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons are convenience estimates.

What is an equilibrium brine?

You choose a final salt target for the combined food + water system. Salt = (food + water) × target %. Starting examples are often cited near 1.2–1.8%. Confirm with your recipe.

Can this calculator be used for fermentation?

It can convert a water-based salt percentage into grams. It cannot tell you whether a pickle or sauerkraut process is safe. Use a tested fermentation recipe.

Does this calculator calculate brining time?

No. Time depends on thickness, temperature, method, and the recipe. This page calculates salt and concentration only.

Related cooking calculators

This page owns brine and salt-percentage math. Use sibling tools for turkey size, thawing, recipe scaling, and cups-to-grams conversions.

Related toolUse this tool whenUse related tool when
Turkey Serving CalculatorYou need salt for a wet or dry brine.You need how many pounds of turkey to buy.
Meat Thaw Time CalculatorThe meat is already thawed and you are mixing brine.You still need refrigerator or cold-water thaw hours.
Recipe ScalerYou are calculating salt % for brine water or meat.You are scaling aromatics, sides, or a full recipe card.
Baking Conversion CalculatorYou already have salt grams and optional sugar grams.You need cups-to-grams for flour, sugar, or other ingredients.

What to do next

Continue the workflow with the right follow-up tool.

Privacy, accuracy, and food-safety limits

Privacy

This tool is free, requires no signup, and runs in your browser. Water, food, and salt inputs are not uploaded to EverydayTools servers.

Accuracy

Uses water-weight wet math, food-weight dry math, food+water equilibrium math, and reverse percentage checks, with brand-based cup estimates.

How this tool works

Salt grams, percentages, and cup estimates are calculated locally on your device.

Limitations: Presets are example starting points. Volume measurements are approximate. This page does not calculate brining time.

This calculator performs brine and salt-percentage math. It does not determine whether a preservation, fermentation, curing, or canning process is safe. For food preservation, use a tested recipe and current guidance from an appropriate food-safety authority.

Advertisement

Reviewed by EverydayTools Editorial Team on 2026-09-20.

Related tools

Same workflow or intent — pick the next step without leaving the site.

Meat Thaw Time Calculator

Free meat thaw calculator: frozen weight → refrigerator or cold-water thaw hours — 12 lb turkey ≈ 57.6 hours (~2.4 days) in the fridge. Runs locally in your browser.

Turkey Serving Calculator

Free turkey serving calculator: guest count and lb per person → total turkey weight to buy, with optional leftovers buffer. Runs locally in your browser.

Recipe Scaler Calculator

Free recipe scaler: original and new servings → scale factor and ingredient amounts. Double, halve, or custom serving math. Runs locally in your browser.

Baking Conversion Calculator

Convert cups to grams by ingredient for flour, sugar, and butter. Instant baking measurement converter for US cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, grams, and ounces.

Cake Pan Converter

Convert cake pan sizes and scale batter for round, square, rectangular, loaf, and Bundt pans. Area or volume mode. Runs locally in your browser.

Rice to Water Ratio Calculator

Free rice to water ratio calculator: cups of dry rice and rice type → how much water for stovetop cooking. White, jasmine, basmati, brown, and sushi presets.

Popular in this category

Frequently opened tools from the same category.

BMI Calculator

Free adult BMI from height and weight (lb/ft/in or kg/cm). CDC category, healthy weight range, optional waist. Screening only—runs in your browser.

Calorie Calculator

Estimate how many calories you need per day. Mifflin-St Jeor BMR, activity TDEE, and lose/gain starting points. US and metric. Runs in your browser.

Tip Calculator

Free tip calculator — find tip amount, bill + tip total, and per-person share. Presets for common percentages (10%, 15%, 20%), custom %, and equal split. Runs in your browser. No signup.

Percentage Calculator

What is 20% of 500? Percent increase, decrease, difference, reverse %, markup & margin—runs locally in your browser, no upload. Copy results or share a link.

People also use

Cross-category tools others open in the same session.

Percentage Calculator

What is 20% of 500? Percent increase, decrease, difference, reverse %, markup & margin—runs locally in your browser, no upload. Copy results or share a link.

JSON Formatter

Free JSON formatter — paste minified or messy JSON and instantly get beautified, indented output with syntax highlighting and error detection. Browser-based, no server upload. Runs locally in your browser when supported—no upload required for normal use.

Word Counter

Free word counter — live word, sentence, and paragraph counts plus reading time for essays, blogs, and SEO drafts. Runs locally in your browser.

BMI Calculator

Free adult BMI from height and weight (lb/ft/in or kg/cm). CDC category, healthy weight range, optional waist. Screening only—runs in your browser.

Continue learning

Guides and walkthroughs that reference this tool.

Free Online Calculator Suite — 10 Essential Calculators for Everyday Math

10 free browser calculators: BMI, tip, discount, overtime, GPA, compound interest. No upload—runs locally. No signup.

BMI Calculators Compared — Metric, Imperial & Categories

2026 roundup of BMI calculators—EverydayTools, CDC, NIH, Healthline, and Calculator.net compared on accuracy, privacy, units, and clinical context.

Explore categories

Browse full tool collections by topic.

Calculator ToolsDate & Time Tools