Dry Brine Pork Loin: Salt Amount and Time

A dry brine for pork loin is salt rubbed on the roast with no water. The calculator's default is 0.31% of the loin's weight, about 1/2 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal per pound. For a 3.5 lb (1.59 kg) boneless loin roast that is 4.9 g (0.17 oz) of salt, salted for 12 hours to 1 day in the refrigerator.

This guide is for a boneless pork loin roast. The pork loin wet brine guide covers soaking the same cut, and wet versus dry brine compares the two methods.

Salt amount

The times apply to a boneless pork loin roast of 3 to 4 lb. Weigh the loin before salting.

• Light, 0.31%: about 1/2 teaspoon of Diamond Crystal per pound, 12 hours to 1 day. AmazingRibs gives about 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound for roasts, wrapped and refrigerated for 12 to 48 hours. The Kitchn uses 2 teaspoons of kosher salt, with chopped garlic and the salt scraped with a knife into a paste, on a 3 to 4 pound boneless loin roast for up to 1 day. That is about 0.35 percent, close to 1/2 teaspoon per pound. This is the default.
• Standard, 0.62%: 1 teaspoon of kosher salt per pound, wrapped, 6 to 24 hours. This is ATK's salting chart amount for beef, lamb and pork roasts.

The sources differ on both amount and maximum time. AmazingRibs allows up to 48 hours and The Kitchn up to 1 day, and the calculator uses the shorter maximum. Where a source says "kosher salt" without a brand, the calculator reads it as Diamond Crystal at 2.8 g per teaspoon, the lightest of the three common salts.

Salt and time by weight

Amounts are by weight first, then by volume for each salt type. A teaspoon of Diamond Crystal weighs 2.8 g, Morton kosher 4.8 g and table salt 6 g, so the same volume of different salts weighs different amounts. The kosher versus table salt guide explains the difference, and weighing is the reliable way to measure.

Light, 0.31% (default)

Standard, 0.62%

How to dry brine a pork loin

1. Weigh the loin and find the row for your weight and salt type.
2. Measure the salt, preferably on a scale. The Kitchn scrapes chopped garlic and salt with a knife into a paste and rubs it over all sides of the loin.
3. Wrap the loin in plastic wrap, as AmazingRibs and ATK do, and refrigerate it at 40°F (4°C) or below for the time in the table.
4. Cook the loin without rinsing it. AmazingRibs says not to rinse the salt off.
5. Check the temperature with a thermometer. FoodSafety.gov lists 145°F (63°C) with a 3 minute rest for pork steaks and roasts.

Covered or uncovered

AmazingRibs says to wrap roasts in plastic and refrigerate them, and ATK wraps roasts tightly in plastic wrap. The Kitchn's pork loin recipe does not say whether to cover the loin in the refrigerator, so the calculator takes the covering from AmazingRibs and ATK.

The Kitchn also lets the seasoned loin sit at room temperature for 30 minutes as an alternative to the refrigerator. This calculator lists refrigerator times only, so that option has no time here.

What the salt does to the loin

Salt on the surface draws juices out of the meat, the juices dissolve the salt into a brine, and the meat reabsorbs it. ATK says the salt changes the muscle proteins so they hold more of their natural juices. ATK also says salting suits meat that is already fairly juicy or well marbled.

The amount and the time both affect saltiness. The over-brining guide explains how too much of either changes meat. The 1 day maximum comes from The Kitchn and ATK, and AmazingRibs's longer 48 hour limit is not used.

Reading the sources on this cut

The pork loin sources are recipes and charts for roasts, not tests of this exact cut. AmazingRibs gives its roast amount and time for roasts in general. The Kitchn's recipe is for a 3 to 4 pound boneless loin roast and gives a single upper limit, up to 1 day. ATK's chart covers beef, lamb and pork roasts together at 1 teaspoon per pound.

For that reason the calculator shows a fixed window for each amount and does not scale the time with the weight of the loin. The 12 hour minimum of the default comes from AmazingRibs, and the 1 day maximum comes from The Kitchn.

Choosing between the two amounts

The default is the lower amount and has a 12 hour minimum, so it suits a loin salted the night before. The standard amount doubles the salt and can be salted for as little as 6 hours. ATK's chart lists both beef and pork roasts at this amount, so the dry brine prime rib guide lists the same ATK roast chart option for a beef roast.

For pork chops, the dry brine pork chops guide has a shorter window, 1 to 4 hours. The pork brine time chart lists wet brine times for pork cuts.

Practical problems

• The loin is too salty: Check the salt type. Morton kosher and table salt weigh more per teaspoon than Diamond Crystal. Count any salt in a rub or sauce.
• A different weight: The tables list whole pounds, and the default 3.5 lb falls between the 3 lb and 4 lb rows. The calculator accepts 2 lb (0.91 kg) to 6 lb (2.72 kg). Enter your own weight in the calculator.
• Time is short: The standard amount is the only option with a 6 hour minimum.
• A different size of roast: The times apply to a boneless loin roast of 3 to 4 lb.

Safety and sodium

The loin stays in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below the whole time. The brining food safety guide covers refrigerator handling.