# Brine Calculator

URL: https://speedycalculator.com/calculators/food/brine/
Last updated: 2026-10-25

> The brine calculator works out how much salt to dissolve in water for a brine of a chosen strength by weight, used for pickling, fermenting and brining meat.

## Inputs

- Water (g / mL, L, US qt)
- Brine strength (%)

## Results

- Salt to add
- Approx. tablespoons of table salt

## Formula

```
Salt = water × percentage ÷ (100 − percentage)
```

## Explanation

A 5% brine is common for turkey and pork; 2–3.5% is typical for fermented vegetables.

### How to use the Brine Calculator

- **Water**
- **Brine strength**

Results update as you type, and every field accepts the units shown in its menu.

### How it works

For a true weight-by-weight brine, salt is calculated relative to the total weight of brine.

### Inputs explained

FieldWhat to enterWaterUnits: g / mL, L, US qtBrine strengthIn %

### What each result means

- **Salt to add** = [Water]×[Brine strength]÷(100 - [Brine strength])
- **Approx. tablespoons of table salt** = [Salt to add]÷18

### Example values

How the main result changes when **Water** changes and everything else stays at the example values above:

Water (g / mL)Salt to add (g)1,00052.61,50078.92,000105.32,500131.63,000157.94,000210.5

## Worked example

Inputs — Water: 2,000 g / mL; Brine strength: 5 %.

Results — **Salt to add = 105.3 g**; Approx. tablespoons of table salt = 5.8.

## FAQ

**Does salt type matter?**
By weight, no; by volume, yes, because flake salts are lighter.

**What is the maximum?**
About 26%, when water is saturated with salt.

**What formula does the Brine Calculator use?**
Salt = water × percentage ÷ (100 − percentage).