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Brine Calculator Guide
A good brine seasons meat throughout and keeps it juicy. This calculator gives you the salt, water, and time for a standard wet brine — scaled to your meat's weight and adjusted for the type of salt you use.
This uses a ~5% salt brine (about 190 g of salt per gallon of water) with roughly 1 gallon of water per 4 lbs of meat, and about 1 hour of brining per pound.
How Much Salt for a Brine?
Salt is measured by weight for accuracy because table salt, Morton kosher, and Diamond Crystal kosher all have different densities — the same weight is a very different number of cups. This calculator gives the weight and the correct cup measure for your chosen salt.
Salt per Gallon of Water (~5% brine)
| Salt Type | Per Gallon |
|---|---|
| Table salt | ~¾ cup (190 g) |
| Morton kosher | ~⅞ cup (190 g) |
| Diamond Crystal kosher | ~1⅓ cups (190 g) |
Worked Example
A 14 lb turkey needs about 3.5 gallons of water (1 gallon per 4 lb), roughly 665 g of salt (about 2½ cups table salt), and about 12–14 hours of brining.
Tips
- Keep it cold — brine in the refrigerator or a cooler with ice, never at room temperature.
- Rinse and pat dry after brining for crispier skin.
- Add sugar and aromatics (herbs, garlic, peppercorns) for extra flavor — they don't change the salt math.
- Don't over-brine; too long makes meat spongy and overly salty.
Then roast with our Turkey Cooking Time Calculator after thawing with the Turkey Thawing Calculator.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much salt do I need for a brine?
About 190 grams of salt per gallon of water for a 5% brine — that's roughly ¾ cup of table salt or 1⅓ cups of Diamond Crystal kosher per gallon.
What is the salt-to-water ratio for brine?
A standard poultry brine is about 5% salt by the weight of the water, using roughly 1 gallon of water per 4 pounds of meat.
How long should I brine a turkey?
About 1 hour per pound, so a 14-pound turkey brines for roughly 12 to 14 hours in the refrigerator.
Do I need sugar in a brine?
No — sugar is optional for flavor and browning and doesn't affect the salt calculation.
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