The formula
salt (g) = (water g + meat g) × target %
That’s the whole trick of equilibrium brining: the salt is measured against everything in the container, so the meat settles at the target salinity and stays there. A gallon of water weighs 3,785 g and a pound of meat 454 g — the calculator does the unit shuffling. Sugar, if you add it, rides along at half the salt’s weight: enough to round the flavor and help browning without turning dinner into a glazed ham.
Salt is a weight, not a scoop
| Salt | Grams per tablespoon |
|---|---|
| Diamond Crystal kosher | ~9 g |
| Morton kosher | ~15 g |
| Table / fine sea salt | ~18 g |
Same spoon, double the salt between brands — the single most common way brines go wrong. If you own a kitchen scale, use the grams and ignore spoons entirely.
Brine safety
Brine cold and keep it cold: dissolve the salt in a small amount of hot water if needed, top up with cold, and keep the whole container below 40°F for the entire soak — the fridge, or a cooler with ice packs you actually check. Never reuse a brine, and give the brined bird its own cutting board and sink-side real estate.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage should an equilibrium brine be?
Between 1.25% and 2% of the combined water + meat weight, by protein: 2% for chicken, 1.5% for a whole turkey or pork loin, 1.75% for chops, 1.25% for shrimp and fish. The presets carry these numbers; seawater, for reference, is about 3.5% — noticeably too salty for eating.
Equilibrium brine vs traditional brine — what’s the difference?
A traditional brine is strong (5–6% of the water) and races salt into the meat on a strict timer — forget it in the bucket and it’s ham. An equilibrium brine uses only the salt the finished meat should contain, so the salinity levels off at the target and the timing is forgiving by design. Slower, safer, better for planning a cook day.
Why does the calculator work in grams instead of spoons?
Because a tablespoon of salt is not an amount. A tablespoon of Diamond Crystal kosher weighs about 9 g; the same spoon of table salt weighs about 18 g — double the salt in the identical scoop. Grams are the truth; the calculator translates into spoons for whichever salt you actually own.
Do I rinse the meat after brining?
After an equilibrium brine, no — there’s no salt crust to remove. Pat it thoroughly dry (dry skin browns; wet skin steams) and skip added salt in your rub. One more check: meat labeled "enhanced" or "self-basting" is pre-salted at the plant — don’t brine it at all.