Equilibrium Brine Calculator

By Cedrick Reese, BrineCalculators.com

4 lb chicken, 1.5% EQ brine, 50% water: 40.8 g salt (about 4 3/4 tbsp Diamond Crystal) in 907 g water, 24 to 48 hours in the fridge.

Enter the meat's weight, thickness, and water to get the salt for an equilibrium brine and the time, capped at 48 hours.

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Spoons for your salt brand

Your brine

Meat weight

As it goes in the bag, bone included. 0.25 to 30 lb (0.1 to 13.6 kg).

Thickness at the thickest point

Sets the time. Measure the thickest part the salt has to reach. 0.25 to 8 in (0.5 to 20 cm).

What it is

Sets the cooking temperature line. Fish is faster than the thickness bands; the seafood calculator has its times.

Target salt

Salt, percent of meat plus water

0.5 to 2.5%. For cures, use the bacon curing calculator, which adds the nitrite math.

Bag or container

Water, percent of meat weight

0 to 100%. A bag needs about 25% to wet every surface; a container needs enough to cover the meat, usually 50%. 0% is a dry brine.

Sugar, percent of meat plus water (optional)

0 to 2%. A quarter to half as much as the salt is the usual band; it is flavor only and does not count toward the salt.

Salt you have (for the spoon estimate)

Weigh the salt if you can. The grams are what count; the spoons are a check.

4 lb chicken, 1.5% EQ brine

40.8 g salt

about 4 3/4 tbsp Diamond Crystal

Water: 907 g (907 ml, 0.96 qt), 50% of the meat
Sugar: none
Total: 2,762 g of meat, water, and salt; the meat settles at 1.5%
Time: 24 to 48 hours at 2 in thick

Dissolve the salt in the water first, then add the meat.

USDA: keep the meat and brine at 40°F (4°C) or below and do not brine longer than two days. Never reuse the brine. Cook poultry to 165°F (74°C).

4 lb whole chicken, 1.5%, container

40.8 g salt (about 4 3/4 tbsp Diamond Crystal)
907 g water (50%)
24 to 48 hours at 2 in thick

2 kg pork shoulder, 1.5%, container

45 g salt (about 5 1/4 tbsp Diamond Crystal)
1,000 g water (50%)
48 hours is the ceiling at 10 cm thick

1 lb pork chops, 1.5%, bag

8.5 g salt (about 1 tbsp Diamond Crystal)
113 g water (25%)
12 to 24 hours at 1 in thick

6 lb turkey breast, 1.5%, container

61.2 g salt (about 7 1/4 tbsp Diamond Crystal)
1,361 g water (50%)
48 hours is the ceiling at 3 in thick

1 kg salmon, 1%, bag

12.5 g salt (about 1 1/2 tbsp Diamond Crystal)
250 g water (25%)
A few hours; see the seafood calculator

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What equilibrium brining is

Equilibrium brining is a brining method that uses a measured amount of salt, a set share of the meat plus the water, instead of a strong brine you pour off. You weigh the meat and the water that goes in with it, add salt equal to a set percentage of that combined weight (1.5% here), and give it time for the salt to spread evenly through both. Since the salt can only go into the meat and water in the bag, the meat ends up at that percentage and stays there, so it cannot come out too salty if it sits longer, as long as it stays inside the 48-hour limit.

A traditional wet brine works the other way: a stronger solution, usually 3.5 to 6% salt to the water, that keeps salting the meat for as long as it soaks, so it depends on taking the meat out on time. That is also why the percentage here is of the meat plus the water, not the water alone: the salt ends up spread through both.

How this is calculated

This equilibrium brine calculator sets the salt as a percentage of the meat plus the water, so the meat can only reach that percentage. The default here is 1.5%, where Destination BBQ's brining calculator and ChefSteps start; 1% is light, 2 to 2.5% is seasoned, and above that is a cure. Enter the weight, thickness, and how much water you are adding, and the calculator returns the salt in grams and spoons for your salt, the water, and the time from thickness, capped at the 48 hours USDA allows raw meat in a brine.

Weigh the meat, decide the water, add them, take the percentage. Because the salt can only spread through the meat and water you put in the bag, the meat ends up at the target and stays there.

water (g)      = meat (g) x water%            25% for a bag, 50% for a container
salt NaCl (g)  = (meat (g) + water (g)) x target%
salt to weigh  = NaCl / purity                 1.00 for refined salts
sugar (g)      = (meat (g) + water (g)) x sugar%
total (g)      = meat + water + salt
hours          = thickness up to 1 in:  12 to 24
                 1 to 2 in:             24 to 48
                 over 2 in:             48 is the ceiling (USDA two-day limit)

Worked example

A 4 lb chicken is 1,814 g. In a container it needs about 50% water, 907 g. Meat plus water is 2,722 g, and 1.5% of that is 40.8 g of salt: 4 3/4 tablespoons of Diamond Crystal, 2 3/4 of Morton kosher, or 2 1/4 of table salt, which is why the calculator asks which salt you have. At 2 inches thick across the breast it needs 24 to 48 hours.

The exact form

Strictly, the salt is part of the system it is a percentage of, so the exact figure is salt = target x (meat + water) / (1 - target). At 1.5% that is 41.4 g instead of 40.8 g, a difference of 1.5% of the salt, well inside what a kitchen scale reads. The calculator uses the simple form, which every published EQ calculator uses, and reports the true salt-in-system figure in the total line: 40.8 g in 2,762 g is 1.48%.

Why 1.5%

Destination BBQ's brining calculator starts equilibrium brines at 1.5% of meat plus water with a working range of 1.2 to 1.8%, and ChefSteps teaches the technique at 1.5% salt. Other published calculators sit either side of it: Eat Cured Meat's runs 2 to 3% because it is written for whole-muscle cures, and Greg Blonder's Genuine Ideas calculator runs lighter. 1% reads as lightly seasoned and suits fish; 2% is a seasoned chop or a thick roast; 2.5% is as far as a flavor brine goes. Past that the salt level is a cure, and cures need nitrite: the bacon curing calculator handles that with the 9 CFR 424.22 limits.

Time comes from thickness

Salt moves into cold meat at about a quarter inch a day in each direction, so a piece up to an inch thick equalizes overnight, 1 to 2 inches takes a day or two, and anything thicker would need more than the two days USDA allows raw meat in a brine at 40°F. The calculator never shows a time over 48 hours. For a thick roast, cut it into pieces under 2 inches, or use the injection brine calculator to put the salt inside. Fish takes salt far faster and the bands do not apply; the seafood brine calculator has times by cut.

Spoon estimates, 30 g of salt

Salt	Per tsp	30 g is	Source
Diamond Crystal kosher	2.8 g	10 3/4 tsp	Diamond Crystal label (1/4 tsp = 0.7 g)
Morton kosher	4.8 g	6 1/4 tsp	Morton label (1/4 tsp = 1.2 g)
Table, pickling, fine sea salt	6 g	5 tsp	USDA FoodData Central, 6 g per tsp
Redmond Real Salt	5.6 g	5 1/2 tsp (weighed up to 31.3 g)	Redmond label (1/4 tsp = 1.4 g, about 96% salt)
Celtic light grey	6 g	6 1/4 tsp (weighed up to 37 g)	Selina Naturally label (1/4 tsp = 1.5 g, about 81% salt)
Himalayan pink, fine / coarse	5.5 / 5 g	5 1/2 / 6 1/4 tsp	Measured (Is Salt); approximate
Flake salt (Maldon)	2.8 g	10 3/4 tsp	Measured (DadCooksDinner); approximate

Bag method and sous vide

A vacuum bag is the natural container for an equilibrium brine: no air, a little water, and every surface in contact with the salt. It is also the bag the meat can be cooked in.

Step 1Weigh the meat and compute the salt, water, and sugar above. Dissolve the salt (and sugar) in the water.
Step 2Put the meat in the bag, pour in the brine, and seal: vacuum sealer, or a zip bag with the air pushed out under water.
Step 3Massage the bag so the liquid reaches every surface, lay it flat in the coldest part of the fridge, and flip it every 12 hours.
Step 4At the time the calculator gives, take it out. Rinse if you like, pat dry, and cook. Or open the bag, add aromatics, reseal, and cook sous vide straight from the brine.

What helps

A scale that reads to 0.1 g. A pound of chops takes 8.5 g of salt; a scale that rounds to whole grams is 6% out on that.
Salt first, then flavor. Herbs, garlic, peppercorns, citrus, and sugar beyond the field above do not change the salt math.
The coldest shelf. 34 to 40°F (1 to 4°C) is the range to hold, and a fridge thermometer is the way to know.
Dry the surface before cooking. The salt is already inside; a wet surface only steams.

Safety

Do not brine longer than two days and keep the meat and brine at 40°F or below (USDA). Equilibrium math prevents over-salting; it does not extend how long raw meat can sit in liquid.
Never reuse a brine that has held raw meat.
Cook poultry to 165°F (74°C) and pork, beef, and lamb to 145°F (63°C) with a rest, per USDA FSIS. Brining does not cook anything.
Out of the brine, cook within a day or two or freeze.

What you'll need

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Gram scale reading to 0.1 g, because the whole method is a percentage of a weight.
Vacuum sealer bags or gallon zip-top freezer bags.
Instant-read thermometer for the 165°F and 145°F finish and for checking the fridge.
Plain kosher or fine sea salt; the calculator adjusts for whichever you have.

How this page is checked

This calculator was built by Cedrick Reese for BrineCalculators.com. The 1.5% default and the 1 to 2.5% band are checked against Destination BBQ's brining calculator and the ChefSteps and Eat Cured Meat equilibrium pages; the two-day and 40°F rules are quoted from USDA's brining guidance and USDA FSIS refrigeration guidance, and the never-reuse rule is the site's own; the cooking temperatures are USDA FSIS. Salt densities come from the shared salt table every calculator on this site uses, built from the makers' labels and USDA FoodData Central.

The time bands are the site's own quarter-inch-a-day rule capped at the USDA limit, which is why the page will not print a time above 48 hours whatever the thickness. If USDA changes its brining guidance, the cap in this page's script and the wording next to it change with it. Anything on this page that disagrees with the USDA text is a bug; use the contact page to report it.

Frequently asked questions

How does equilibrium brining differ from traditional brining?

A traditional brine is a fixed strength of salt water (5% on this site's main calculator) and the meat keeps taking salt the longer it sits, so timing is what stops it getting too salty. An equilibrium brine sets the salt as a percentage of the meat plus the water, 1.5% here, so once the salt has spread evenly the meat cannot go past that figure. It is more forgiving on timing and it uses far less water, which is why it suits vacuum bags and sous vide. It does not change how long raw meat can safely sit in liquid: 48 hours at 40°F or below either way (USDA).

Can I brine frozen meat using this method?

No. Thaw the meat in the refrigerator first, then weigh it and calculate. Frozen meat does not take up salt evenly, and its weight includes ice you cannot account for. Thawing in the brine also means the outside sits above 40°F longer than it should.

Do I need to rinse the meat after brining?

Optional. With an equilibrium brine there is no surface excess to wash off once the salt has equalized, so a quick rinse only removes undissolved crystals. Pat the meat completely dry either way; a dry surface is what gives you a sear or crisp skin. Rinsing does not remove bacteria; cooking to a safe temperature does.

Why is my meat still not salty enough after EQ brining?

Either it did not brine long enough for the salt to reach the center, which for a piece over 2 inches thick can take longer than the 48-hour safety ceiling allows (cut it smaller or use the injection brine calculator), or the salt was measured by the spoon. A tablespoon of Diamond Crystal is 8.4 g; a tablespoon of table salt is 18 g. Weigh it. If the grams were right and the time was enough, raise the target: 2% for chops and thick roasts, 2.5% at the top of the flavor range.

Can I add sugar or other ingredients to the brine?

Yes. Sugar has its own field on this calculator, set as a percentage of the meat plus water like the salt; a quarter to half as much sugar as salt (0.4 to 0.75% at a 1.5% target) gives a sweet-savory balance, and it is not counted in the salt figure. Herbs, garlic, peppercorns, and aromatics go in after the salt is dissolved and do not enter the math at all.

What's the minimum amount of water I need for EQ brining?

None: with zero water the calculation becomes a dry brine (salt on the meat's weight alone; the dry brine calculator handles that directly). In a vacuum or zip bag, 25% of the meat's weight in water is enough to wet every surface and let the salt move. In an open container the meat has to be covered, which usually takes about 50%. Whatever the water, the salt is figured on meat plus water, so more water means more salt for the same target.

How long can I safely keep meat in an equilibrium brine?

48 hours, at 40°F (4°C) or below. USDA's guidance is not to brine longer than two days and to keep the meat and brine refrigerated at 40°F or less, and equilibrium math does not change that: it prevents over-salting, it does not slow bacteria. Most pieces under 2 inches thick reach equilibrium inside the limit. A piece that needs longer should be cut down, injected, or brined at a slightly higher target for the time available.

Can I reuse equilibrium brine for another batch?

No. Never reuse a brine that has held raw meat, and an equilibrium brine is worse than most for it: the salt has moved into the meat, so its strength is no longer known, and it carries whatever came off the raw meat. Weigh a fresh batch for the next piece.

Is equilibrium brining suitable for poultry and fish?

Poultry, yes: 1.5% is the default here and the 4 lb chicken preset shows it. Fish takes salt much faster and needs less of it, usually 1% for a few hours rather than a day, so the thickness bands on this page do not apply; use the seafood brine calculator for cut-by-cut times. Cook poultry to 165°F (74°C) and other cuts to 145°F (63°C) per USDA FSIS.

What if I don't have a vacuum sealer?

Use a zip-top freezer bag and push the air out with the water displacement method: seal the bag almost fully, lower it into a bowl of water so the pressure forces the air out, then seal the last inch. Or use a container just big enough for the meat and the 50% water setting so the meat stays covered. The calculation is the same; only the water percentage changes.

Why does my salt type matter if I'm measuring by weight?

For refined salts it does not: 30 g of Diamond Crystal, Morton, or table salt is the same 30 g of sodium chloride. The type only changes the spoon count, which is why the calculator shows spoons as a check. Two exceptions: unrefined salts like Celtic grey and Redmond carry water and minerals, so the calculator weighs them up by their purity, and iodized table salt can leave a faint off-taste in a long brine, so plain salt is the better pick.

What percentage should I use for an equilibrium brine?

1.5% of the meat plus the water for most cuts, which is where Destination BBQ's brining calculator and ChefSteps start. 1% for fish and for a light seasoning. 2% for pork chops and thick roasts that want more seasoning, 2.5% as the top of the flavor range. Above 2.5% you are curing rather than brining, which needs nitrite and its own math; that lives on the bacon curing calculator.

References

Disclaimer

Educational tool only: this Equilibrium Brine Calculator is provided for educational and informational purposes only. It is designed to help home cooks and culinary enthusiasts calculate equilibrium brining measurements using established food science principles.

Not professional advice: the information and calculations provided by this tool do not constitute professional culinary, food safety, or medical advice. Always consult with qualified food safety professionals, nutritionists, or health care providers for specific dietary needs, food allergies, or health concerns.

Food safety responsibility: users are solely responsible for following proper food safety practices, including maintaining correct refrigeration temperatures (34 to 40°F / 1 to 4°C), using clean equipment, preventing cross-contamination, and cooking all foods to safe internal temperatures. Follow USDA and FDA guidelines for food safety at all times.

Accuracy notice: while we strive for accuracy and base our calculations on established culinary science and authoritative sources, salt measurements can vary by brand, type, and measurement method. Always use a digital scale for weight measurements. Volume conversions are estimates only.

No warranty: this calculator is provided as is without warranty of any kind, express or implied. We do not guarantee that the calculations will be error-free or suitable for all purposes. Users assume all risks associated with the use of this tool. See the full disclaimer.

Official guidelines: for official food safety guidance, consult the USDA Food Safety and FDA Food websites. When in doubt about food safety, err on the side of caution and discard questionable food.