Dry Brine Calculator

Calculate the right amount of salt and timing for juicier, more flavorful meat.

Dry Brining Tips
  • • Pat dry first: Remove meat from packaging and pat completely dry with paper towels before salting.
  • • Season evenly: Sprinkle salt evenly over all surfaces, including under skin if possible.
  • • Use a rack: Place on a wire rack over a sheet pan to allow air circulation on all sides.
  • • Refrigerate uncovered: Leave uncovered in the fridge — this also helps dry the skin for better browning.
  • • No rinsing needed: Don't rinse off the salt — it will have absorbed into the meat.
  • • Skip additional salt: Don't add more salt to your seasoning mix or sauce.
Common additions to dry brines

While salt does the heavy lifting, these optional additions can enhance your brine:

  • • Sugar (1:4 ratio): Promotes browning through the Maillard reaction. Especially good for poultry. Use white or brown sugar — brown adds a subtle molasses note.
  • • Baking powder: For crispy poultry skin, add about 1 tsp per pound along with the salt. It raises the skin's pH, helping it brown and crisp.
  • • Black pepper: Apply generously — it won't penetrate like salt but adds surface flavor. Freshly cracked is best.
  • • Dried herbs: Thyme, rosemary, sage, or your favorite blend. Rub into the surface along with salt.
  • • Garlic/onion powder: Adds savory depth. Use about 1/2 tsp per pound.
  • • Citrus zest: Lemon, orange, or lime zest adds brightness, especially nice on fish and chicken.

Note: Only salt needs precise measurement — other additions are "season to taste."

How dry brining works

Phase 1: Salt draws out moisture (0-30 min)

Salt dissolves in surface moisture, creating a concentrated brine. You'll see liquid bead on the surface — this is normal.

Phase 2: Moisture reabsorbs (30 min - end)

The brine is drawn back into the meat through osmosis, carrying dissolved salt with it. The salt seasons the meat from within and changes protein structure to retain more moisture during cooking.

Result: Juicier, more flavorful meat

Dry-brined meat loses less moisture during cooking and has better, more evenly distributed seasoning. The drier surface also promotes better browning.

Common questions

What is the ratio for dry brine?

This calculator uses 1 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt per pound for poultry, ¾ teaspoon per pound for pork, beef and lamb, and ½ teaspoon per pound for fish.

The important caveat is that teaspoons are not interchangeable between salts, because crystal size changes how much fits in a spoon. A teaspoon holds roughly 2.8 g of Diamond Crystal, 4.8 g of Morton kosher, 5 g of fine sea salt and 6 g of table salt — the first two are the brands' own declared nutrition-label weights. Measure Morton by the teaspoon using a Diamond Crystal number and you will apply about 70% more salt; use table salt and you will apply roughly twice as much. Pick your salt in the calculator above and it converts for you, or weigh in grams and skip the problem entirely.

Is 2 hours enough for dry brine?

For some cuts, yes — two hours is the target this calculator uses for pork chops, and steak is ready in about an hour. Chicken parts do better at four.

For anything large it is not enough. A whole chicken wants at least 12 hours, and a turkey at least 24, with 48 as the target — salt needs time to travel inward, and a big bird is mostly interior. Fish runs the opposite way: 15 to 30 minutes, and no more than an hour.

How much salt do I need to dry brine a 20 pound turkey?

At 1 teaspoon per pound, a 20 lb turkey takes 20 teaspoons of Diamond Crystal kosher salt — about 56 g. The calculator shows this as tablespoons (6¾ tbsp), which is the same amount.

To apply that same 56 g from a different box: roughly 11⅔ teaspoons of Morton kosher, 10 of fine sea salt, or 9⅓ of table salt. Apply it 24 to 48 hours ahead and refrigerate uncovered on a rack set over a tray, below any ready-to-eat food, so drips are contained. Season under the skin as well as over it.

What is the best mixture for dry brine?

Salt on its own does the actual work. Sugar is optional and this calculator adds it at a quarter of the salt by volume (1 part sugar to 4 parts salt) when you switch it on — it aids browning and offsets a little of the saltiness, and is especially good for poultry.

Dried herbs, pepper and garlic powder can go on at the same time. Fresh garlic, butter and oil are usually left until cooking rather than added to the brine.

Salt-per-pound ratios follow the widely used ½ to 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound, which is a cook's convention rather than a published standard. The grams-per-teaspoon figures used to convert between salts are the brands' declared nutrition-label serving weights — Diamond Crystal ¼ tsp = 0.7 g, Morton ¼ tsp = 1.2 g — with table salt from USDA FoodData Central; fine sea salt is an estimate. Brining meat goes in the fridge on a rack over a tray, below any ready-to-eat food, and is cooked to a safe internal temperature.

☕ Buy me a coffee • • 📧 Contact