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Lacto-Fermentation Salt Calculator

Calculate recipe salt quantities for brine, dry salting or a combined food-and-water base. Choose the percentage denominator and enter weighed mass.

Use this result well

Inputs that matter
Recipe percentage basis, Recipe base mass (before salt), Base mass unit, Recipe salt percentage
Output to expect
Salt to weigh
  • Check the units and required inputs before comparing results.
  • Keep the assumptions with a copied result so you can reproduce the calculation later.
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Reference & details

How it works

Choose the base before entering mass

For either brine option, enter water mass only. For dry salting, enter prepared food mass. For the combined option, add the food and water masses; exclude salt.

Apply the selected percentage

Water, food and combined-base ratios multiply the base by p/100. A target salt fraction of salt plus water instead uses water × p/(100 − p).

Salt = base × p ÷ 100; solution fraction: salt = water × p ÷ (100 − p)

Use the complete preservation recipe

For fermented pickles or sauerkraut, keep the required salt and the full tested process. The arithmetic here does not determine acidity, fermentation time, shelf life or a canning schedule.

Source: National Center for Home Food Preservation: General Information on Fermenting

Updated: September 2026

Example Scenarios

Select Salt ÷ water, 1,000 g base and 5%.

→ 50 g salt.

Select Salt ÷ prepared food, 800 g base and 2.5%.

→ 20 g salt.

For a recipe using food plus water, enter 1,200 g combined base and 2.5%.

→ 30 g salt. The percentage is a recipe ratio, not measured liquid salinity.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Keeping the same input meaning after changing method

The base is water for brine, prepared food for dry salting, or food plus water for the combined option. Review the selected method and weighed mass together.

Choosing a percentage because it appears in an example

Example numbers demonstrate the calculation. Use the percentage and denominator stated by the recipe for your food and process.

FAQ

Brine options use water mass before salt is added. Dry salting uses prepared food mass before salt is added. The result labels which denominator was used.

Use it only if the recipe defines that base. Add the weighed prepared food and water masses, enter the sum, and exclude salt. The calculator multiplies that base by the stated percentage.

Salt relative to water and salt relative to salt plus water have different denominators. At 5% and 1,000 g water, they require 50 g and about 52.631579 g salt respectively.

No. It calculates only salt mass from the selected percentage definition. Starter cultures, whey additions and other ingredients need the recipe’s own instructions.

No. It does not measure pH, check microorganisms, predict shelf life or validate a canning process. Keep the recipe’s complete preparation, monitoring and storage instructions.

About Lacto-Fermentation Salt Calculator

Match the calculator to the measuring method in your recipe: water-based brine, salt as a fraction of salt plus water, dry salting by prepared food weight, or a percentage of food plus water. Enter the corresponding base mass before adding salt.