Brine & Pickle Salt Calculator
Salt and sugar for brines and fermented pickles by percentage, for any amount of water.
Work out your brine
What are you brining?
Kind of salt
This strength is outside the usual range for this kind of brine. Check it before you start.
- Salt
- g
- Salt in spoons
- Sugar
- g
- Sugar in spoons
- Time in the fridge
- Water and vegetables
- g
- Salt in the water alone
- %
- Water
- ml
- Vinegar
- ml
Fine salt is about 18 g per tablespoon and coarse salt about 15 g. Weighing the salt is more accurate than measuring it by spoon.
Brining times for meat and poultry
| Food | Salt | Time in the fridge |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken pieces | 6% | 1–4 hours |
| Whole chicken | 5% | 8–12 hours |
| Whole turkey | 5% | 12–24 hours |
| Pork chops | 6% | 1–2 hours |
Times are approximate. Longer brining makes meat saltier, so use the lower salt strength for the longer times.
Vegetables, olives and cheese
| Food | Salt | Usual time |
|---|---|---|
| Cucumbers | 2–3.5% | 1–2 weeks |
| Cabbage (sauerkraut) | 2% | 1–4 weeks |
| Carrots and cauliflower | 2–3.5% | 1–2 weeks |
| Mixed vegetables (turşu) | 4–6% | 1–3 weeks |
| Green olives | 8–10% | 4–8 weeks |
| White cheese (beyaz peynir) | 8–10% | Keep covered in the fridge |
Ferment at about 18–22 °C, then keep in the fridge. Taste along the way: warm rooms ferment faster.
Good to know
- Brine raw meat and poultry in the fridge at 4 °C or below, never on the counter, and keep it fully covered.
- Throw away brine that has touched raw meat. Never reuse it or use it as a sauce.
- Skip the salt in the recipe or use much less, and pat the meat dry before cooking for better browning.
- Do not brine meat that is already salted or labelled as enhanced or self-basting.
- Keep vegetables under the brine with a weight so they do not spoil. Use clean jars and non-iodised salt for clear pickles.