Calculate salt and sugar for a wet or dry brine and the time needed.
Wet brines calculate salt against water while dry brines calculate against meat weight, which is why the percentages are not interchangeable. Equilibrium brining sets salt against total mass so extended time cannot over-salt. Dry brining is now generally preferred because it seasons as effectively without diluting flavour or making the surface too wet to brown.
Brine
Wet brine salt = water weight × strength; dry brine salt = meat weight × strength
Wet brine salt = water weight × strength; dry brine salt = meat weight × strength Wet brines calculate salt against water while dry brines calculate against meat weight, which is why the percentages are not interchangeable. Equilibrium brining sets salt against total mass so extended time cannot over-salt.
Dry brining is now generally preferred because it seasons as effectively without diluting flavour or making the surface too wet to brown.
This calculator takes 5 inputs: Meat weight, Water volume for a wet brine, Brine salt strength, Sugar as a share of salt, Brine type. The pre-filled defaults are a realistic starting point — replace them with figures from your own environment for a result you can act on.