Brine Container Size Calculator: What Size Bucket, Pot or Bag

How this is calculated

This brine container size calculator figures the three things a container has to hold: the meat, enough water to cover it, and room at the top so it does not slop when you lift it. Meat displaces about 0.45 quarts per pound, the cover water depends on the shape (a whole bird leaves far more gap around itself than a flat chop), and 15% headspace covers the plate that keeps the meat down. Enter the shape and the weight and the calculator returns the capacity in quarts, gallons, and liters, the smallest standard container that holds it, and the brine volume that container implies, which is the number to carry over to the brine calculator for the salt.

Three parts added together. The meat's own volume comes from its density; the cover water comes from its shape; the headspace is a percentage on top. There is no "brine per pound" ratio in this model, because a 2 lb chop and a 2 lb piece of a whole bird do not need the same water.

displacement (qt) = weight (lb) x 0.45          meat at 1.05 g/mL: 1 lb = 432 mL
cover water (qt)  = displacement x 1.5          whole bird (big gaps around it)
                  = displacement x 1.0          roast or whole cut
                  = displacement x 0.75         flat pieces, packed
minimum (qt)      = displacement + cover water
recommended (qt)  = minimum x 1.15              10, 15, or 30% headspace
container         = smallest standard size at or above recommended
1 gal = 4 qt = 3.785 L;  1 qt = 0.946 L

Where the numbers come from

Lean muscle runs about 1.06 g per milliliter, and a whole cut with its fat (lighter) and bone (heavier) comes out near 1.05, so a pound occupies about 432 mL, or 0.45 quarts. The cover multipliers are set so the results land on the containers people actually use: a 10 to 12 lb bird "comfortably fits" a 3 gallon bucket on the Virtual Weber Bulletin Board, a 5 gallon bucket is the standard turkey vessel, and America's Test Kitchen's chart soaks a 4 lb chicken in 2 quarts of water. Run those through the formula and a 12 lb bird comes out at 15.5 qt, a 4 lb chicken at 5.2 qt, and a 20 lb turkey at 25.9 qt. The old version of this page multiplied the weight by 0.75 to 2 quarts of brine per pound on top of displacement, which sent a 20 lb turkey to an 8.6 gallon container; nobody owns one, and the page's own container list said a 5 gallon bucket would do.

Bags versus buckets, and the turkey calculator

The cover water above is for a rigid container. A brining bag pulls in around the meat, so it needs less: the turkey brine calculator defaults to 1 gallon of water under 14 lb, 1.5 gallons from 14 to 20 lb, and 2 gallons above 20 lb, on the assumption of a bag. The two pages agree once the bag is accounted for: a 12 lb bird plus 1 gallon is 9.4 qt, which is a bag inside a 12 qt stockpot or a roasting pan; a 14 to 20 lb bird plus 1.5 gallons is 12 to 15 qt, a bag inside a 16 qt stockpot or a 5 gallon bucket; over 20 lb with 2 gallons is 17 qt and up, a bag in a 5 gallon bucket or a cooler. Use this calculator's brine figure for a bucket or a pot and the turkey calculator's for a bag.

Common container sizes

Coolers and storage totes are sold by the quart. Outer dimensions vary by maker, and the number that matters is whether the container fits on a refrigerator shelf with the lid on, so measure the shelf before buying.

What the formula cannot see

• Test it with water first. Put the meat in the empty container, cover it with plain water, then lift the meat out and measure the water. That is your true brine volume, and the salt scales to it on the brine calculator.
• Shape of the vessel. A tall, narrow pot covers a roast with less water than a wide, shallow one. A square container uses shelf space better than a round bucket.
• Weighing the meat down. Meat floats. The plate and the bag of water that hold it under take space, which is what the headspace is for.
• Fridge space. A 5 gallon bucket is about 15 inches tall with the lid on. If it will not fit, a bag in a smaller vessel or a cooler with frozen packs is the answer, not a warm garage.

Common container options

The common options, roughly from smallest to largest. Pick by the capacity the calculator gives, then by what fits the fridge.

What you'll need

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How this page is checked

Frequently asked questions

Safety

Temperature: brine at 40°F (4°C) or below, the whole time. Check the refrigerator or cooler with a thermometer rather than trusting the dial. Never brine at room temperature.

Container: food-grade HDPE plastic, stainless steel, glass, or food-safe enamel. Salt water reacts with aluminum and copper.

Cross-contamination: sanitize the container before use, discard the brine once the meat comes out, and wash hands, sink, and surfaces after handling raw meat.

Related calculators and guides

• Turkey brine calculator Salt and water for the bird, sized for a brining bag
• Brine calculator Salt in grams and cups for the water this container needs
• Meat brine calculator Salt and hours by cut for chicken, pork, beef, and lamb
• Conversion charts Quarts, gallons, liters, and salt by weight
• Kimchi and sauerkraut calculator Jar size from the vegetable weight

References

• The Virtual Weber Bulletin Board, container size for brining (3 gallon bucket fits a 10 to 12 lb bird)
• America's Test Kitchen, brining meat (2 qt water for a 4 lb chicken, 2 gal for a 12 to 17 lb turkey)
• USDA FSIS, poultry preparation
• FDA Food Code, temperature control
• National Center for Home Food Preservation
• America's Test Kitchen
• Serious Eats, how to dry brine
• Institute of Food Technologists

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