Fermentation Brine Calculator

Frequently asked questions

How much salt do I need for sauerkraut?

2.25 to 2.5 percent of the weight of the shredded cabbage: 22.5 to 25.0 g per 1,000 g, or 51.0 to 56.7 g for 5 lb. Penn State Extension gives the same ratio by volume, 3 tablespoons of canning or pickling salt per 5 lb of cabbage, and warns that changing the proportions could result in an unsafe product. UCCE adds that cabbage given less salt spoils rather than ferments.

What percentage salt brine do fermented pickles need?

USDA Guide 6 gives fermented dill pickles by volume: per gallon, 4 lb of cucumbers, 1/2 cup of salt, 8 cups of water and 1/4 cup of vinegar. Taking a tablespoon of salt as 17.0 to 18.9 g, the half cup is 136 to 151 g. Against the water alone, the way a brine strength is often written, that is 7.2 to 8.0 percent; against the cucumbers plus water, the basis this calculator uses, it is 3.7 to 4.1 percent, and the pickles preset is 4%. So a brine strength copied from another recipe is not the number for this field. The conversion is the tool's arithmetic; follow the USDA recipe itself when you can.

How much salt for kimchi?

Lee et al. (Fermentation 2021) give kimchi salinity as 1.4 to 2.5%, and 2.0 to 2.3% for kimchi sold in Korea, China and the United States; Colorado State University Extension puts the final salt at 2 to 5%. Both figures are salt levels in finished kimchi, seasonings included, not a salting rate for raw vegetables, so the kimchi preset takes the top of Lee’s range, 2.5%: for 1,000 g of vegetables it gives 25.0 g of salt. Many recipes brine the cabbage and rinse it, so follow a tested recipe for the method.

What salt percentage is my recipe?

Press Find the salt percentage, then enter the vegetable weight, any water and the salt in grams: salt % = salt ÷ (vegetables + water) × 100. 22.5 g of salt on 1,000 g of cabbage is 2.25%, inside the 2.25 to 2.5% sauerkraut range, and 30 g is 3%, which the page notes is above it.

Do I count the water when working out brine salt?

Yes, when the vegetables sit in a brine: the percentage is of the vegetables plus the water, and the salt itself is not counted. 1,000 g of cucumbers in 500 g of water at 4% takes 60.0 g of salt. Untick Add water for a dry-salted ferment such as sauerkraut, where the salt draws juice from the vegetables.

What kind of salt should I use for fermenting?

Canning or pickling salt, which Penn State describes as pure sodium chloride with no minerals or anti-caking additives. UCCE says iodine and anti-caking agents may inhibit fermentation and that flake salt varies in density, and USDA Guide 6 says reduced-sodium salt is not recommended in fermented pickles. Weigh it rather than measuring by the spoon.