Master the art of seasoning with our professional dry brine calculator. Whether you are prepping a holiday turkey or a thick-cut steak, this tool helps you determine the exact amount of salt needed to enhance flavor and moisture without over-salting.
Dry Brine Calculator
Enter any two variables to solve for the third.
Dry Brine Calculator Formula
Source: Serious Eats – Dry Brining Guide
Variables
- Meat Weight: The total raw weight of the meat (excluding packaging).
- Salt Percentage: The ratio of salt to meat. Standard range is 0.5% (mild) to 2.0% (bold).
- Salt Weight: The actual mass of salt required to achieve the target concentration.
Related Calculators
- Wet Brine Concentration Tool
- Meat Curing Salt Ratio Calculator
- Turkey Thawing Time Estimator
- Internal Meat Temperature Guide
What is Dry Brining?
Dry brining is the process of salting meat well in advance of cooking to improve its flavor, texture, and moisture retention. Unlike wet brining, which uses a water-salt solution, dry brining relies on the meat’s own juices to dissolve the salt, creating a concentrated brine that is reabsorbed into the muscle fibers.
This technique is highly favored by chefs because it produces a crispier skin on poultry and a deeper seasoning profile in beef, all without the mess of large buckets of saltwater.
How to Calculate Dry Brine (Example)
- Determine the weight of your meat (e.g., 2000g).
- Choose your salt ratio. 1.5% is a popular choice for all-purpose seasoning.
- Multiply: $2000 \times 0.015 = 30$.
- You need 30 grams of salt.