Brine Calculator
Calculate salt and optional sugar for a wet brine from water volume and chosen percentages.
Last updated · View algorithm, constants and default inputs (JSON)
About this calculator
The model treats 1 L of water as approximately 1,000 g and calculates salt and optional sugar as percentages of that water mass. Enter meat weight only if you want the salt-per-kilogram figure. The result is a quantity estimate, not a recipe, brining-time instruction or food-safety assessment.
Worked example
calculated with the default values below
Water 4 L · Salt concentration 5 % · Sugar (optional) 2 % · Meat weight (optional) 2 kg Salt 200 g · Sugar 80 g · Salt per kg of meat 100.0 g/kg
General background references
Disclaimer
These calculators give general cooking guidance. Ingredient density, oven calibration, altitude and equipment all vary, and safe minimum internal temperatures always take precedence over timings. Follow the food-safety advice issued by your national authority.
Implementation source
This record describes the implementation used by this page. It is not independent validation. External references, when available, support only the stated formula or definition; estimates and custom rules retain their own assumptions.
Formula and variables
Salt = 10·V·p_s; Sugar = 10·V·p_u
- Salt
- Salt, g
- Sugar
- Sugar, g
- V
- Water volume, L
- p_s
- Salt concentration, %
- p_u
- Sugar concentration, %
Percentages as entered (5 = 5%): 5 g ingredient per 100 mL water. This page calculates ingredient amounts only; it does not estimate safe brining time or food safety.
Frequently asked questions
Why does this brine calculator not give a brining time?
The salt and sugar amounts are calculated from water volume and the percentages you enter. A safe, suitable brining time also depends on the food, cut size, temperature and a tested recipe, none of which this calculator models. Use a tested recipe and follow current food-handling guidance; do not treat the quantity calculation as a time or safety recommendation.