Brine & Pickling · Salt Ratio
Enter your vegetable weight and get the exact salt needed for safe, flavourful dry-salted ferments every time.
Classic sauerkraut at 2% salt:
Calculates salt by weight of vegetables (dry-salting method)
| Vegetable | Salt % | Method | Fermentation time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sauerkraut | 1.5–2% | Shred & massage | 3–6 weeks | Keep submerged; tangy when done |
| Kimchi | 2–3% | Rub paste into leaves | 1–4 weeks | Salt % is for cabbage weight before paste |
| Pickled carrots | 3% | Slice & salt | 1–2 weeks | Stays crunchy at higher salt levels |
| Fermented hot sauce | 3–5% | Mash & salt | 1–4 weeks | Higher salt for longer ferments |
| Cucumber pickles | 3.5% | Whole or spears | 1–3 weeks | Add grape/oak leaves for crunch |
| Green olives | 5% | Score & brine | 2–6 months | Rinse before eating |
| Preserved lemons | 20% | Quarter & pack | 4–6 weeks | Rinse before use; very salty condiment |
Dry salting draws water from the vegetables through osmosis, creating a natural brine. The salt percentage is measured against the weight of the vegetables, not the resulting liquid. Massage or press the salt into shredded vegetables until they release enough liquid to stay submerged.
Salt ratio guide
Getting the salt right is the single most important step in vegetable fermentation. Too little invites spoilage; too much kills beneficial bacteria and leaves a harsh taste.
The classic salt-to-cabbage ratio used in traditional sauerkraut fermentation worldwide.
Higher salt keeps cucumbers crunchy and compensates for their high water content.
Roughly one tablespoon of fine salt per 20 ounces of vegetables as a quick estimate.
Weigh your prepared vegetables on a kitchen scale and enter the total in grams or ounces. Select the salt percentage recommended for your ferment, or type a custom value. The calculator instantly shows the exact weight of salt to add.
Tip: weigh vegetables after trimming, coring, and shredding. Discarded parts should not count toward the total, or your salt ratio will be too low.
Dry salting works best for vegetables with high water content such as cabbage, radishes, and shredded carrots. The salt pulls moisture out through osmosis, creating a natural brine that submerges the vegetables within hours.
Brine fermentation is better suited for whole or large-cut vegetables like cucumber spears, green beans, and cauliflower florets, where the structure would not release enough liquid on its own. Use a separate brine calculator for those recipes.
These percentages represent salt as a proportion of the total vegetable weight. Staying within the recommended range ensures safe acid development and the best texture.
Fine sea salt dissolves quickly and distributes evenly, making it ideal for dry salting. Pickling salt (also called canning salt) is pure sodium chloride without additives and is the gold standard for fermentation.
Avoid table salt with iodine or anti-caking agents. Himalayan pink salt and flake salts work but weigh differently by volume, so always measure by weight. Smoked salts can impart off-flavours during long ferments.
If your vegetables are not submerged after 6–8 hours of salting, massage them more vigorously or add a tiny splash of non-chlorinated water. Vegetables must stay below the brine to prevent mould.
A slimy texture usually means too little salt or too high a temperature. Ferment between 18°C and 22°C (65–72°F) for the best texture. If mould appears on the surface, remove it immediately; the ferment below the brine line is usually still safe.
Common questions about dry-salting vegetables for fermentation.
Most sauerkraut recipes call for 2% salt by weight of the cabbage. This means 20 grams of salt per kilogram of shredded cabbage. The 2% ratio reliably suppresses harmful bacteria while allowing Lactobacillus to thrive and produce lactic acid.
Yes. Dry salting means sprinkling salt directly onto shredded or sliced vegetables and massaging it in. The salt draws moisture out of the vegetables to create its own brine. Brining means submerging whole or large-cut vegetables in a pre-made saltwater solution. This calculator focuses on dry-salting ratios.
Use non-iodized salt without anti-caking agents. Fine sea salt, pickling salt, and kosher salt all work, but their volumes differ for the same weight. Iodine and anti-caking additives can inhibit beneficial bacteria and cause cloudy brine. Always measure salt by weight, not volume, for accuracy.
Salt below 1.5% may not adequately suppress spoilage organisms and pathogens in the early stages of fermentation. While Lactobacillus can eventually lower pH enough to create a safe environment, the transition period is riskier with insufficient salt. Stick to at least 2% for most vegetable ferments.
If your ferment tastes overly salty, you likely exceeded 2.5% salt or did not ferment long enough for acid production to balance the flavour. Ferment at room temperature for at least 7 days. You can also rinse finished sauerkraut briefly before serving to reduce surface salt.
One level tablespoon of fine salt weighs roughly 18 grams, while a tablespoon of coarse kosher salt weighs about 15 grams. Because salt crystal size varies between brands, weighing with a kitchen scale is far more accurate than measuring by volume.