Wet Brine vs Dry Brine: Differences and When to Use Each
Published
A wet brine soaks food in salt water. A dry brine puts salt directly on the food. For a 4 lb (1.81 kg) chicken at the standard setting of each, the wet brine uses 108.1 g of salt in 2 quarts (1.89 L) of water for 4 to 6 hr, and the dry brine uses 11.2 g of salt for 6 hr to 1 day.
America's Test Kitchen sums up the trade-off for chicken: wet brining is faster and adds moisture, while dry brining keeps the surface drier and needs no large container. The right method depends on the food, the time you have, the space in your refrigerator and whether you want crisp skin.
The two methods side by side
| Wet brine | Dry brine | |
|---|---|---|
| What you do | Dissolve salt in water and submerge the food | Spread salt over the surface of the food |
| Salt is measured as | A percentage of the water's weight | A percentage of the food's weight |
| Water | Yes, enough to cover the food | None |
| Container | Large enough for the food and the brine, in the refrigerator | A tray or bag in the refrigerator |
| Speed | Faster | Slower |
| Skin and browning | Skin can come out soggy, and the surface needs drying | Drier surface, which helps skin crisp |
The speed, skin and space rows come from America's Test Kitchen, which also says that salting takes longer than brining, leaves more refrigerator space and does not inhibit crisp, browned skin. AmazingRibs.com says wet brines make poultry skin soggy and recommends dry brines for skin-on poultry.
How the two work
In a wet brine the salt moves from the water into the meat. The USDA's Food Safety and Inspection Service quotes Dr. Alan Sams of Texas A&M: salt dissolves protein in muscle, and the salt and protein reduce moisture loss during cooking. The page says this makes the meat juicier and more tender. In a dry brine, per the USDA FSIS poultry brining page, the salt draws moisture out, forms a brine on the surface and the meat reabsorbs it.
A direct comparison from AmazingRibs.com gives numbers for chicken breasts. The wet-brined breast gained about 10% of its raw weight from the brine. The page's raw weight loss after cooking was 8% for the wet-brined breast, 12% for the dry-brined breast and 15% for a breast that was not brined. It also notes that wet brining uses more salt and takes more space, while dry brining uses less salt and is easier. This is one test from one publisher, so read it as a direction.
Same chicken, both methods
The wet brine for a whole chicken is a percentage of the water.
| Food weight | Salt by weight | Diamond Crystal kosher | Morton kosher | Table salt | Water | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 lb (1.59 kg) | 94.6 g (3.3 oz) | 3/4 cup | 3/8 cup | 3/8 cup | 1.75 quarts (1.66 L) | 4 to 6 hr |
| 4 lb (1.81 kg) | 108 g (3.8 oz) | 3/4 cup | 1/2 cup | 3/8 cup | 2 quarts (1.89 L) | 4 to 6 hr |
Weigh the salt when you can. The same volume of different salts weighs different amounts.
Warnings
Do not brine meat that is labeled basted, enhanced, marinated or kosher (Morton Salt, It's Time To Brine). Destination BBQ (Brining math explained) says enhanced, self-basting and kosher meat has already been salt-treated and is essentially pre-brined, and that you might dry-brine it very lightly or not brine it at all.
Brine in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Do not brine at room temperature.
Discard the brine after use. Do not reuse brine that held raw meat, poultry or fish.
Do not brine longer than 6 hr. Cook the Story gives 4 to 6 hours for a whole chicken and states no separate maximum; the calculator's maximum is the top of that range, 6 hours. Amazing Ribs reports a test by Greg Blonder in which a half-pound boneless chicken breast held about 1.5% salt inside after 8 hours in a 6% brine, and calls an internal level of 1.5% to 2% much too salty to eat. That test shows meat becomes too salty over hours; it does not set the maximum shown here.
Notes
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults limit sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day. Brined and fermented food contains added salt.
The water shown is a default of 0.5 quarts per pound of food. Use enough water to cover the food completely. The salt follows the water: if you use a different amount of water, enter it and the salt changes with it.
The dry brine is a percentage of the chicken.
| Food weight | Salt by weight | Diamond Crystal kosher | Morton kosher | Table salt | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 lb (1.36 kg) | 8.4 g (0.3 oz) | 1 Tbsp | 1 3/4 tsp | 1 1/2 tsp | 6 hr to 1 day |
| 4 lb (1.81 kg) | 11.2 g (0.4 oz) | 1 1/2 Tbsp | 2 1/4 tsp | 1 3/4 tsp | 6 hr to 1 day |
| 5 lb (2.27 kg) | 14.1 g (0.5 oz) | 1 1/2 Tbsp | 1 Tbsp | 2 1/4 tsp | 6 hr to 1 day |
| 6 lb (2.72 kg) | 16.9 g (0.6 oz) | 2 Tbsp | 1 Tbsp | 2 3/4 tsp | 6 hr to 1 day |
Weigh the salt when you can. The same volume of different salts weighs different amounts.
Warnings
Keep the salted meat in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Do not leave it at room temperature.
Do not brine longer than 1 day. ATK and Milk Street both give 24 hours as the longest time.
Note
ATK says to wrap the chicken in plastic wrap if it is salted for longer than 12 hours.
At 4 lb (1.81 kg), the wet brine takes 108.1 g of salt and the dry brine takes 11.2 g. The two numbers measure different things. The wet brine's 5.71% is a percentage of the water's weight and the dry brine's 0.62% is a percentage of the chicken's weight, so they should not be compared as strengths.
Warning
Do not brine longer than 6 hr. Cook the Story gives 4 to 6 hours for a whole chicken and states no separate maximum; the calculator's maximum is the top of that range, 6 hours. Amazing Ribs reports a test by Greg Blonder in which a half-pound boneless chicken breast held about 1.5% salt inside after 8 hours in a 6% brine, and calls an internal level of 1.5% to 2% much too salty to eat. That test shows meat becomes too salty over hours; it does not set the maximum shown here.
Note
The water shown is a default of 0.5 quarts per pound of food. Use enough water to cover the food completely. The salt follows the water: if you use a different amount of water, enter it and the salt changes with it.
Warning
Do not brine longer than 1 day. ATK and Milk Street both give 24 hours as the longest time.
Note
ATK says to wrap the chicken in plastic wrap if it is salted for longer than 12 hours.
What each method asks of you
For a wet brine you need a food-grade container that fits in the refrigerator, enough brine to cover the food, and a lid or cover. ATK says to pat the skin of a brined bird as dry as possible before cooking, because brining makes crisp skin harder to get.
For a dry brine you weigh the salt, spread it over the surface and refrigerate the food. The sources differ on the details. AmazingRibs leaves poultry uncovered in the refrigerator so the skin dries. The USDA's page describes sealing the poultry in a food-grade plastic bag and massaging the salt into the skin every 8 to 12 hours. ATK wraps a whole turkey tightly in plastic unless the recipe air-dries it at the same time.
Which method for which food
The calculator has both methods for some foods and only one for others.
- Chicken: a wet brine for whole chicken or a dry brine for chicken. The wet brine times for chicken breasts, thighs and wings are in the chicken brine time chart.
- Turkey: a wet brine for whole turkey takes 6 to 12 hr in the default setting, and the dry brine for turkey takes 1 day to 2 days.
- Steak, prime rib and pork loin: the calculator gives dry brine amounts for these cuts, in the guide for dry brined steak and the dry brine time chart, which also lists pork shoulder, pork ribs, bone-in turkey breast, spatchcock chicken, duck breast and whole duck.
- Shrimp and fish: wet brine only, for 10 to 45 minutes depending on the food and the strength, listed in the seafood brine time chart.
For a pork chop the calculator has both. A wet brine at the default setting is 5.71% for 30 min to 1 hr, and a dry brine at its lightest setting is 0.31% of the weight of the chops for 1 to 4 hr.
Safety is the same for both
Both methods are done cold, and the time limits apply to both.
Warning
Brine in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Do not brine at room temperature.
Warning
Keep the salted meat in the refrigerator at 40°F (4°C) or below. Do not leave it at room temperature.
Warning
Discard the brine after use. Do not reuse brine that held raw meat, poultry or fish.
The University of Wisconsin Extension gives the same advice for wet brines: keep a turkey and its brine at 40°F or less, and do not wash the bird before brining. The food safety guide covers these rules in full, including what the calculator leaves out.
Warning
Do not brine meat that is labeled basted, enhanced, marinated or kosher. Morton Salt advises against it. Destination BBQ says enhanced, self-basting and kosher meat has already been salt-treated and is essentially pre-brined, and that you might dry-brine it very lightly or not brine it at all. America's Test Kitchen's roasted brined turkey recipe says not to brine a kosher or self-basting turkey because it already contains a good amount of sodium. America's Test Kitchen's 30-Minute Brine page says not to brine enhanced chops injected with a salt solution.
Brined meat also carries added salt, so count any salt added later.
Note
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults limit sodium to less than 2,300 mg per day. Brined and fermented food contains added salt.
Choosing between them
Use a wet brine when the cut is lean, since ATK says a wet brine adds moisture and can make lean cuts juicier, when you want it done in an hour or less, or when the food is shrimp or fish. Use a dry brine when you want skin to crisp, do not have room for a container of brine, or can plan a day ahead. If you are unsure which to start with, what is brining explains the basics, and the calculator gives the amounts for either method once you pick the food.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a wet brine and a dry brine?
A wet brine dissolves salt in water and submerges the food. A dry brine puts salt directly on the food with no water, and the food rests in the refrigerator while the salt works in.
Which is better, a wet brine or a dry brine?
Neither is better for every food. America's Test Kitchen says wet brining is faster and adds moisture, while dry brining keeps the exterior drier, which helps skin crisp, and needs no large container.
How much salt does each method use for a 4 lb chicken?
At the standard setting, the wet brine for a 4 lb (1.81 kg) chicken uses 108.1 g of salt in 2 quarts (1.89 L) of water for 4 to 6 hr. The dry brine at its standard setting uses 11.2 g of salt on the chicken for 6 hr to 1 day.
Can you wet brine and dry brine the same meat?
The calculator does not combine them, and no source it uses does. Pick one method per piece of meat so the salt is not counted twice.
Can fish and shrimp be dry brined?
The calculator offers shrimp and fish only as a wet brine. Dry brine amounts are given for chicken, turkey, steak, pork chops, prime rib, pork loin, pork shoulder, pork ribs, turkey breast, spatchcock chicken, duck breast and whole duck.
Sources
- Using Wet or Dry Brines with Chicken Breasts (America's Test Kitchen)
- Wet Brining vs Dry Brining (AmazingRibs.com)
- How to Brine a Turkey and How to Salt a Turkey (America's Test Kitchen)
- Dry Brining (AmazingRibs.com)
- Poultry: Basting, Brining, and Marinating (USDA FSIS)
- Brining Tips (University of Wisconsin Extension, Dunn County)