Measure twice. Season once.
The short version
A few useful principles explain most of the numbers in Kitchen Constants. They are here to make the calculator more useful, not to turn dinner into homework.
01
Dry brining means salting meat ahead of cooking, without adding water. Salt first draws moisture to the surface, then the seasoned liquid is gradually reabsorbed. The result is more even seasoning, better browning and meat that holds onto its juices more effectively.
In practice: use the Minimum time when dinner is close and the Best time when you can plan ahead. Leave the meat uncovered in the refrigerator so the surface dries.
02
A percentage scales with the size of the piece. That is more reliable than a teaspoon because the same spoonful can be far too much for a small chop and barely enough for a large roast.
In practice: weigh the meat, multiply by the salt percentage, and measure the result in grams.
03
Ovens, pans, cuts and starting temperatures vary. Internal temperature tells you what the meat is actually doing, while time is only an estimate.
In practice: use the chef target for the texture you want, then keep the food-safety baseline visible as separate context.
04
Kitchen Constants treats a ratio as a useful starting point, not a law of nature. Values are compared across culinary references, recipe practice and home testing. Community discussions are useful for spotting common failures, but they are not the only evidence.
In practice: keep the scale nearby, adjust for salty ingredients already in the dish, and treat the first batch as feedback.
05
Hydration is the liquid weight expressed as a percentage of flour weight. It lets a dough scale without turning a recipe into a list of cups. Lower hydration usually gives a firmer, chewier dough; higher hydration makes a softer dough that may need more handling care.
In practice: weigh the flour first, add the calculated liquid gradually, and hold back a little if your flour is already behaving softly.
06
Salt in a dough is separate from hydration. Flour stays at 100%, while water, egg and salt are each scaled from the flour weight. The salt is part of the dough's texture and flavour, not pasta cooking water.
In practice: weigh the flour, then add the calculated liquid and salt. Treat the displayed values as a useful starting point for the specific dough style.