HELP: Simple Cumin/Salt Black Bean Proportions

[ErgoErgun]

My recipe causes my entire store to smell like Cumin! I think my proportions are off... and people tell me I'm adding way too much. The beans are going inside of tacos, etc...
Right now for 32 cups of beans...
1/2 Cup Oil
1/2 Cup Cumin
3 Cups Lime Juice
1 1/2 TBS Salt

What do you guys use to make this popular style of black beans? Thank you!

[Reanie525i]

You may want to cut back on the cumin and add a little goya. I also use cilantro when I make them and some onion as well.

[Uncle Bob]

I don't do black beans very often...However; IMO 1/2 cup of cumin in a couple of gallons of beans is a might heavy! Maybe cut it by 1/2 then taste.
I personally would add Masa to suit my taste...

[bethzaring]

okay, I'm deserately trying to break this down, would this be less than 1 teaspoon of cumin per cup of beans? And is the 32 cups, dried or cooked beans?

The cumin proportion seems okay to me, but I really like cumin.

[urmaniac13]

Are you talking about cumin seeds, or powdered cumin? If it is seeds, probably the amount is okay, you may have misinterpreted the recipe and used powdered one, which packs itself in more tightly in a measuring vessel, which means more would go in.
If you use the seed, measure, then grind it yourself, probably the amount is okay. I suggest mixing in some coriander seed as well.

[JDP]

Cut your cumin by a 1/2 and taste when it's done. You can always add more. The salt seems a bit light. I also like fresh cilantro, and maybe some chipoltle would work out nice to give some heat and smoke.

JDP

[GB]

Regardless of what the recipe says, if you think it smells too powerful and people are saying there is too much then cut it back. I agree with the others who say to cut it in half to start and go from there.

[jennyema]

1 1/2 T of salt for 32 cups of beans doesn't seem like nearly enough.

IMO the cumin seems in the ballpark.

I agree that you probably want some other seasonings inthere, as well.

Mexican oregano, cilantro, garlic come to mind

[GB]

I didn't even notice the small amount of salt. Good eyes Jenny. I agree that seems like next to nothing for that amount of beans.

[ErgoErgun]

You guys are great. Thanks for your comments. I'm using cumin powder, not seed. The beans for the recipe are already cooked, so they've absorbed water and enlargened. You said the salt was too much, but no one said anything about the lime juice. Is that a typical amount of lime juice? What would be a more appropriate amount of salt? After some more feedback, I'll cut the cumin back, do what we decide with the lime juice and the salt, then try the recipe again and post my findings.