Brine & cure calculator
Wet brine, dry brine, curing salt, and rub scaling in one place. Enter a weight and a target percentage and get the salt in grams, because volume measures of salt vary by more than a factor of two between brands.
Grams, because salt varies by more than a factor of two by volume between brands. A tablespoon of Morton kosher is roughly twice the salt of a tablespoon of Diamond Crystal.
How it works
An equilibrium wet brine works off the total weight of meat plus water, so the meat can sit in the brine without ever getting too salty.
A dry brine works off the weight of the meat alone. Half a percent to one percent salt by weight covers most cuts.
Cure is calculated in grams and only in grams. Prague Powder #1 is 6.25 percent sodium nitrite and a teaspoon of it is not a reliable measurement.
What it assumes
- Salt percentages assume you want seasoning, not preservation. Preserved products are a different calculation with different holding requirements.
- Brine times scale with thickness more than weight.
Questions
Half a percent to one percent of the meat's weight, so 5 to 10 grams per kilogram. Apply it, leave it uncovered in the fridge, and let it go overnight for a large cut.