Vegetables + water
Worked example: 500 g vegetables + 500 g water, at 2% of the combined weight before salt.
Brine & Pickling · Calculator
Brine Fermentation Calculator
Salt for a ferment by vegetables plus water, water only, or dry vegetable weight. Grams by batch size, spoon weights by salt type, and the NCHFP sauerkraut and dill pickle figures.
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Calculate your recipe’s salt
Calculate salt as a percentage ofVegetables + water (before salt). Exclude the jar, weights and salt. Match the method and percentage in your tested recipe.
g
ml
%
The starting values are a worked example, not a recommended recipe. Do not transfer a percentage between methods without checking the recipe.
Salt to add
20g
2% of vegetables + water (before salt)
500 g vegetables + 500 g water = 1,000 g before salt.
1,000 × 2 ÷ 100 = 20 g salt.
Approx. tbsp1.053
Approx. tsp3.158
Ounces0.705
This is a recipe ratio before adding salt, not a measurement of final brine salinity or a safety assessment.
What to do next
Use these amounts with your tested recipe
2% of vegetables + water (before salt): 500 g vegetables + 500 g water.
Free printable
Keep this batch on one page
A batch card made from your numbers, to save as a PDF or receive by email:
- Vegetable, water and salt amounts
- The percentage basis written out
- Recipe checks and storage reminders
- A log for your batch
Why the basis matters
500 g vegetables + 500 g water at 2% of their combined weight needs 20 g salt. At 2% of the water alone, it needs 10 g. These are arithmetic examples, not interchangeable recipes.
Choose a tested recipe
Preserve its vegetable-to-water proportions, salt quantity and method. Start with the NCHFP dill pickle recipe or sauerkraut recipe; follow their stated quantities rather than substituting this example percentage.
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Understand your salt percentage
Choose the weight your recipe means
A percentage needs a clearly defined base. The same percentage gives different salt amounts when it refers to water, vegetables, or both. Match the recipe before calculating.
Use these reference values to interpret your results
- 20 g
- 10 g
Water only
Worked example: 500 g water, at 2% of water weight before salt. Vegetable weight is excluded.
- 10 g
Dry salting
Worked example: 500 g vegetables, at 2% of vegetable weight before salt. No added water is included.
Recipe ratio, before salt
base weight × % ÷ 100The result is grams of salt. These examples explain the calculation; they are not recommended recipes. A true final-mixture mass percentage includes the salt in its denominator and is a different calculation.
Start with a tested recipe
A calculator can scale a defined salt ratio; it cannot choose a safe recipe from a vegetable name alone. Use a research-based recipe and keep its specified food, water, salt and any vinegar proportions. Follow its temperature, time, completion and storage instructions too.
NCHFP provides tested procedures for fermented dill pickles and sauerkraut. Its dill pickle recipe fixes the cucumber, water, salt and vinegar amounts together. Do not replace those quantities with a generic percentage from this calculator.
- NCHFP: fermented dill pickles
- Follow all ingredient quantities and the full fermentation procedure.
- NCHFP: sauerkraut
- A tested dry-salting procedure, including covering-brine and storage instructions.
Three different percentage bases
Vegetables + water: multiply the combined ingredient weight before salt by the recipe percentage divided by 100. Count all prepared vegetables and add-ins, plus the water actually used. Exclude the jar, weights and salt. Use all the measured ingredients and salt in that batch.
Water only: multiply the added water weight by the recipe percentage divided by 100. This describes a prepared brine before it contacts vegetables. University extension guidance uses this method, but it does not report the salt percentage of the whole ferment. Vegetable moisture and the food-to-water ratio affect the resulting mixture.
Vegetables only: multiply vegetable weight by the recipe percentage divided by 100 for dry salting. If a recipe requires extra covering brine, follow its separate instructions. Choose the method from the recipe, not simply from whether you pour liquid over the food.
Same number, different amount of salt
500 g vegetables + 500 g water at 2% combined weight = 20 g salt.500 g water at 2% water weight = 10 g salt.500 g vegetables at 2% dry-salting weight = 10 g salt, with no added water in this calculation.Arithmetic examples only; none of these percentages is a universal fermentation recommendation.Weigh ingredients and salt
Use a scale and subtract the container weight. Water is approximated as 1 g per ml. The calculator uses US customary cups and quarts; metric cups and imperial quarts are different sizes. Changing units preserves the entered amount.
The salt type changes only the estimated spoon volume, not the required grams. Spoon weights vary with grain size, brand and packing. A percentage by weight does not change when you switch between types of pure salt.
Choose salt using preservation guidance
NCHFP recommends canning or pickling salt and permits either iodized or non-iodized table salt. Anti-caking ingredients may cloud brine. Its guidance advises against reduced-sodium salt in fermented pickle recipes. When a recipe specifies salt by volume, use its specified salt type and amount.
- NCHFP: salts used in pickling
- Salt types, additives and reduced-sodium substitutions.
Fermenting and vinegar pickling require different recipes
Lactic acid fermentation relies on microbial acid production. Vinegar pickling uses added acid. Some tested fermented-pickle recipes also include vinegar at the start, so the presence of vinegar alone does not define the method.
This salt calculation does not establish vinegar acidity, processing time or shelf stability. For canning, use the full tested recipe and its altitude-adjusted process. Do not create a canning recipe by choosing a vinegar-to-water ratio alone.
Do not diagnose safety from a salt number
NCHFP warns against reducing the salt required for fermented pickles and sauerkraut. Salt supports the desired fermentation, but temperature, ingredient proportions, submersion and the full process also matter. More salt is not a universal fix: excessive salt can inhibit fermentation.
Softness can have several causes, including unsuitable temperatures. Bubbles, cloudiness and sourness alone cannot establish safety. Follow the recipe’s spoilage instructions, discard a suspect batch and do not taste it to decide whether it is safe. Do not lower salt or shorten fermentation simply because the calculator shows a small percentage.
Follow the recipe through storage
Keep produce submerged using the recipe’s equipment and handling method. Follow its temperature range and fermentation schedule rather than a universal number of days. A successful salt calculation is only one part of the process.
Do not add or cut salt to make up for a room outside the recipe’s temperature range. Temperature and salt control different things, so changing one does not correct the other. Move the jar to a spot that holds the recipe’s range, and check the temperature beside it over a full day.
Refrigerate or process the completed ferment as directed. Fermentation does not automatically make a jar shelf-stable. Use a tested canning process if the recipe provides one.
Sources and further guidance
- University of Illinois Extension: fermenting
- Dry salting, prepared water brines and fermentation conditions.
- NCHFP: general information on fermenting
- Why tested ingredient proportions, salt and acidity matter.
- University of Minnesota Extension: fermentation
- Research-based recipes, dry and wet brining, and process checks.
Salt in grams by batch weight
| Weight before salt | 2% | 2.5% | 3% | 3.5% | 5% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 250 g | 5.0 g | 6.3 g | 7.5 g | 8.8 g | 12.5 g |
| 500 g | 10.0 g | 12.5 g | 15.0 g | 17.5 g | 25.0 g |
| 750 g | 15.0 g | 18.8 g | 22.5 g | 26.3 g | 37.5 g |
| 1 kg | 20.0 g | 25.0 g | 30.0 g | 35.0 g | 50.0 g |
| 1.5 kg | 30.0 g | 37.5 g | 45.0 g | 52.5 g | 75.0 g |
| 2 kg | 40.0 g | 50.0 g | 60.0 g | 70.0 g | 100 g |
| 3 kg | 60.0 g | 75.0 g | 90.0 g | 105 g | 150 g |
| 1 lb | 9.1 g | 11.3 g | 13.6 g | 15.9 g | 22.7 g |
| 2 lb | 18.1 g | 22.7 g | 27.2 g | 31.8 g | 45.4 g |
| 5 lb | 45.4 g | 56.7 g | 68.0 g | 79.4 g | 113 g |
Use the weight your recipe’s percentage refers to: vegetables plus water, water only, or vegetables only. These columns are arithmetic, not recommended percentages.
What the NCHFP tested recipes specify
| Recipe | Produce | Salt | Liquid | Fermentation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauerkraut | About 5 lb shredded cabbage per batch | 3 tbsp canning or pickling salt | The cabbage’s own juice. If it does not cover, boiled and cooled brine of 1½ tbsp salt per quart of water | 70–75°F (21–24°C): about 3–4 weeks. 60–65°F (16–18°C): 5–6 weeks |
| Fermented dill pickles | 4 lb of 4-inch pickling cucumbers per gallon of container | ½ cup salt | 8 cups water with ¼ cup 5% vinegar | 70–75°F (21–24°C): about 3–4 weeks. 55–65°F (13–18°C): 5–6 weeks |
Quantities as published by the National Center for Home Food Preservation. Follow each full recipe, including dill, spices, weights and storage, rather than these rows alone.
Salt by the spoon
| Salt type | Grams per tbsp | Grams per tsp | Tbsp for 20 g |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pickling / canning salt | 19 g | 6.3 g | 1.1 |
| Fine sea salt | 18 g | 6.0 g | 1.1 |
| Coarse sea salt | 15 g | 5.0 g | 1.3 |
| Kosher (Diamond Crystal) | 8 g | 2.7 g | 2.5 |
| Kosher (Morton) | 14 g | 4.7 g | 1.4 |
| Fine Himalayan pink | 17 g | 5.7 g | 1.2 |
Approximate level US spoons, the same values the calculator uses. Grain size and packing vary by brand, so weigh salt when you can.
FAQ
Fermentation brine questions
Should salt percentage include vegetables and water?
Follow the recipe’s stated basis. For a percentage of vegetables plus water, weigh both before adding salt. For a prepared water brine, use water weight alone. For dry salting, use vegetable weight. These methods cannot use the same percentage interchangeably.
What does 2% mean in this calculator?
It means 2 g salt per 100 g of the selected ingredients before salt is added. For example, 500 g vegetables plus 500 g water requires 20 g salt at 2% combined weight. Water-only mode gives 10 g for 500 g water at 2%. These are arithmetic examples, not recipe recommendations.
Does total weight include the jar or salt?
No. In vegetables-plus-water mode, total means the prepared vegetables, other recipe add-ins and added water, before adding salt. Exclude the container and fermentation weights. This recipe ratio differs from salt as a percentage of the final salted mixture.
What salt percentage should I use for fermenting?
Use the quantity and calculation basis from a research-based, tested recipe for that food. Keep its ingredient proportions, temperature, fermentation procedure and storage instructions. A percentage alone cannot establish that a ferment is safe.
How much salt does sauerkraut need?
The NCHFP tested sauerkraut recipe uses 3 tablespoons of canning or pickling salt for each batch of about 5 pounds of shredded cabbage. If the juice does not cover the cabbage, it adds boiled and cooled brine made with 1½ tablespoons of salt per quart of water. Follow the full recipe, including its temperatures and storage steps.
How much salt goes in fermented dill pickles?
The NCHFP fermented dill pickle recipe uses ½ cup salt dissolved in 8 cups of water and ¼ cup of 5% vinegar, poured over 4 pounds of 4-inch pickling cucumbers per gallon of container. Its salt, water and vinegar amounts work together, so keep them as written rather than swapping in a percentage.
Which salt should I use?
NCHFP recommends canning or pickling salt. Its guidance permits iodized or non-iodized table salt, but anti-caking ingredients can cloud brine. Spoon weights vary by salt type; the calculator’s spoon conversions are estimates. Do not substitute reduced-sodium salt in fermented pickle recipes.
How do I know fermentation is complete?
Follow your tested recipe’s completion checks and storage instructions. Time depends on the food and conditions. Taste, smell, bubbles or a calculated salt percentage alone do not establish safety. Do not taste a suspect batch.
Download the free Brine & Pickling Reference Card
One printable reference explaining vegetables-plus-water, water-only and dry-salting calculations, with worked examples and tested recipe sources.
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