Brine Calculator
Work out the salt for a wet brine at a chosen concentration.
Salt is by weight of the water — weigh it for accuracy. Tablespoons are approximate (fine table salt); brine in the fridge.
Salt as a percentage of water
A wet brine is simply salty water that seasons food throughout and helps it hold moisture as it cooks. The strength is set by the weight of salt relative to the weight of the water.
salt = water weight × concentration% (1 litre of water ≈ 1,000 g)
Because salt brands differ so much in crystal size, weighing the salt is the only dependable way to hit a target concentration. The tablespoon figure is a rough convenience for fine table salt.
A 5% brine in 2 litres of water needs about 100 g of salt — roughly 5–6 tablespoons of table salt — dissolved before the water is cooled and the food added.
Brining well
Brining transforms lean meats like poultry and pork, keeping them juicy and seasoned right through. Match the strength and time to the food — a stronger brine works faster but can over-salt if left too long. Always brine cold, in the fridge.
Cook’s notes
- Weigh the salt. Crystal size makes volume measures unreliable.
- Keep it cold. Cool the brine fully and brine in the fridge.
- Mind the time. Stronger brine, shorter soak; rinse and pat dry after.