Calculate the exact salt and optional sugar weight to hit a target brine strength for your water volume, with an equilibrium mode that also factors in the meat weight.
Works entirely by weight — use a kitchen scale for repeatable results.
Salt type changes volume but not weight — results are by weight; measure with a scale.
About this tool
The Brine Salt Calculator tells you exactly how much salt (and optional sugar) to dissolve to reach a target brine strength, so you stop guessing with cups of an unknown salt brand. Enter your water volume, pick traditional soak-brine or equilibrium mode, set the target percentage, and the tool returns salt and sugar weights in grams and ounces.
Two modes cover the two common approaches. A traditional soak brine dissolves salt as a percentage of the water weight — salt = water × target% — with typical strengths of 3–6% for a timed soak (the classic 'one cup Diamond kosher per gallon' lands near 3.5%). Equilibrium brining assumes the meat is fully submerged until the salt distributes evenly through both water and meat, so it uses salt = (water + meat) × target%, with gentle targets of about 0.75–1.5% that can be left to brine without over-salting. The optional sugar ratio adds sugar as a fraction of the salt weight (default half).
A key point: because salt brands differ wildly by volume (a cup of Diamond kosher weighs far less than a cup of table salt) but not by weight, this calculator works entirely by weight — use a kitchen scale for repeatable results. Water mass is derived from volume using 1 L = 1000 g, 1 US quart = 946 g, and 1 US cup = 237 g. The tool warns if a traditional target climbs above 10%, which is impractically salty for most recipes.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between traditional and equilibrium brining?
A traditional soak brine sets salt as a percent of the water only (salt = water × target%) and is timed so the meat does not over-salt. Equilibrium brining includes the meat weight (salt = (water + meat) × target%) so the meat and brine reach the same low salinity and can sit safely for longer.
What brine percentage should I use?
Timed soak brines commonly run 3–6% salt by water weight for poultry and pork. Equilibrium brines use a much lower whole-system target, roughly 0.75–1.5%, because the meat is left in until it equalizes. Sweeter brines add sugar at around half the salt weight.
Why does the tool give weight instead of cups?
Salt volume varies enormously between brands — a cup of Diamond Crystal kosher salt weighs far less than a cup of table salt — but the weight needed for a given salinity is the same. Measuring by weight with a scale removes that ambiguity and makes your brine repeatable.
How is water weight calculated from volume?
The tool converts your volume to grams using standard densities: 1 liter of water = 1000 g, 1 US quart = 946 g, and 1 US cup = 237 g. In equilibrium mode it adds the meat weight (pounds, kilograms, or grams) to the water weight before applying the target percentage.