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Brine percentage is salt weight divided by total brine weight (salt + water), not salt divided by water alone. A 5% brine means 50g salt in 950g water.
% Salt = Salt / (Salt + Water) × 100To make a target percentage brine, divide desired salt weight by the percentage. For 2 liters of 3% brine: total weight 2000g, salt = 2000 × 0.03 = 60g.
Salt = Total weight × (% / 100)Equilibrium curing uses 2–3% for whole muscle. Injection brines for poultry run 1–2%. Fermentation brines for pickles and sauerkraut typically use 2–2.5% for controlled fermentation.
Updated: July 2026
Two gallons (7,570g) of 5% brine requires 379g salt (~1.3 cups kosher). Submerge 14 lb turkey for 24 hours before rinsing and roasting.
1 liter water (1000g) with 2.5% salinity needs 25g salt. Dissolve, pour over cucumbers in jar, ferment 5–10 days at room temperature.
For a 5 lb brisket flat, 3% equilibrium brine with 40% pickup calculates ~27g salt per pound of meat for a 7-day cure in bag.
A "5% brine" means 5% of total weight is salt, not 5% of water weight. Salt-as-percent-of-water gives ~5.3% higher salinity than labeled and can over-salt cures.
Diamond Crystal and Morton kosher salt have different densities. Always weigh salt in grams for repeatable brine concentration regardless of brand.
Accurate brine concentration is critical for safe curing, consistent flavor, and successful fermentation. This calculator converts between salt percentage by weight, grams of salt, and water volume for wet brines used in meat curing, pickling, and lacto-fermentation.