Brine Calculator
Salt by weight, not by scoop.
Brine Calculator
Salt (g) = water (g) x salinity / (100 - salinity), because salinity is salt as a share of total brine weight.
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What This Calculator Does
The Brine Calculator converts a water volume and a target salinity into the weight of salt to add. It uses the proper weight-based definition of salinity, where salt is a percentage of the total brine, not a percentage of the water alone.
How It Works
One litre of water weighs about 1,000 g. If the target salinity is 5 percent, salt must be 5 percent of the total weight, so the water is the other 95 percent. The salt weight is therefore water weight times salinity divided by 100 minus salinity. The total brine weight is water plus salt, and grams per litre divides the salt by the water volume.
Example
For 4 litres of water at 5 percent salinity, salt is 4,000 x 5 / 95 = 210.5 g. Total brine weight is 4.21 kg, which is 52.6 g of salt per litre, and the salt is 5.26 percent of the water weight.
Formula
water weight x salinity / (100 - salinity)water weight + salt weightsalt weight / water volumesalt weight / water weightReading the Results
Salt to add
The weight of salt for the target salinity. It assumes the water weighs 1,000 g per litre, which is close enough for kitchen use.
Total brine weight
Water plus salt. It is the denominator in the salinity definition and is useful for scaling a recipe.
Salt concentration per litre
Grams of salt per litre of water. It is a convenient label for comparing brines, but it is not the same as percentage salinity.
Sources and References
USDA FSIS - Food Safety Guidance
Curing, brining, and refrigeration
Food safety guidance for wet brining and the need for temperature control.
FDA Food Code - Time and Temperature Control
Cold holding and cooling requirements
The food safety framework behind refrigerated brining.
References identify the method or data behind this calculator. Where a standard or tariff changes, the current edition applies, and the assumptions stated above take precedence over a remembered figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is brine percentage based on water or total weight?
Total weight. A 5 percent brine is 5 g of salt in 95 g of water, for 100 g of brine. If you add 5 g of salt to 100 g of water, the salinity is 4.76 percent, not 5 percent. The difference matters for consistent curing and fermentation.
How much salt is in a 5 percent brine?
About 52.6 g per litre of water, or 210.5 g in 4 litres. That is close to 3.5 tablespoons of fine sea salt, but weigh it rather than scooping. Different salts have different bulk densities.
Can I reuse a brine?
It is not recommended for food safety. The brine has been in contact with raw food, and its salt concentration and contamination load are uncertain. Discard it, or follow a tested curing recipe that specifies reuse.
How long should I brine meat?
It depends on the cut, thickness, and salinity. A whole chicken might take several hours to overnight in a moderate brine, while a thick roast needs longer. Over-brining makes the food salty and can affect texture. Follow a tested recipe for the specific cut.
Does a stronger brine preserve food without refrigeration?
Not automatically. Salt reduces water activity, but the safety of a preserve depends on the full method, acidity, temperature, and time. Use a tested canning or curing recipe and keep perishable brines cold unless the recipe is designed for ambient fermentation.