West Indies Salad – The Original 1964 Mobile, Alabama Recipe

A true Gulf Coast classic, West Indies Salad is simple, fresh, and all about letting the sweet flavor of lump crabmeat shine. This version is based on the original recipe credited to William Bayley of Bayley’s Steak House and published in the Junior League of Mobile’s 1964 Recipe Jubilee! cookbook.

Ingredients

1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 lb fresh lump crabmeat, carefully picked over for shells
4 oz Wesson oil
3 oz cider vinegar
4 oz ice water
Salt, to taste
Black pepper, to taste

Directions

Place half of the finely chopped onion evenly in the bottom of a large bowl.
Gently separate the lumps of crabmeat, being careful not to break them up too much, and arrange the crab over the onion.
Sprinkle the remaining chopped onion over the top of the crabmeat.
Season lightly with salt and black pepper.
Pour the Wesson oil, cider vinegar, and ice water evenly over the crab and onions.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or up to 12 hours, allowing the flavors to blend.
Just before serving, gently toss the salad so the crabmeat stays in large, beautiful pieces.

Marie’s Tip:

The secret to an authentic West Indies Salad is keeping it simple. Don’t be tempted to add mayonnaise, celery, lemon juice, Old Bay, or a lot of extra seasoning. The original Mobile recipe was designed to let good lump crabmeat be the star.

For the best flavor, use fresh jumbo or lump Gulf crabmeat whenever possible and give the salad several hours to chill before serving.

Recipe Card Photo