From left: Levi, Angela, Kurt, Rebekah and Max go crabbing on the St. Simons Island Pier.
In early April, I went on vacation with two of my best friends of 25 years, including our families – kids, pets and all. We rented a beach house on St. Simons Island and spent the week eating to our hearts’ content, lounging on the beach and having jam sessions by the pool. It was the ideal vacation, complete with dolphin watching, strolling on the pier and working on our tans, but the most fun I had all week was when we rode our bikes to the pier for a little crabbing adventure.
It was my first time having any luck catching wild Georgia blue crabs. I was ecstatic!
I had purchased a basic crab net from the St. Simons Island Hardware Store in the village a few years back, and had tried my luck a time or two without success. Somehow, this trip was different though, and that night, we caught more than 15 wild Georgia blue crabs right off the pier. We gently tossed the female crabs back, because they are illegal to keep, but got to keep nine big males–just enough to make a delectable crab dip.
The crabs are so beautiful, with serene ocean blue claws and large shells.
When we returned home with our catch, we got right to work cooking the crabs. We set a big pot of water on the stovetop and began to season it, when suddenly we realized we didn’t have enough salt, which is an absolute MUST. It was pretty late by this time, and all the grocery stores were closed. So, after a brief detour to the local gas station, and $10 later, we were back in business.
Lord, my face was as red as that crab. It was hot in that kitchen!
We seasoned the water liberally with salt, lemon juice, and half a lemon, and cooked the crabs until they turned bright red, about 10 minutes. Then, we let them cool completely and popped them in the refrigerator until the next day when we could begin picking the meat.
From left: My best friends, Jennifer and Angela, with Jennifer’s son Jackson and me. Loving life in our beach house on vacation!
Angela taught us all how to pick the crabs and get to the best meat. She learned from her husband, Levi’s sweet Aunt Adela. Adela lives on the Georgia coast, and as a young boy, Levi spent many summers crabbing in the tidal rivers of Shellman Bluff. On a recent trip to visit Adela, Angela learned this valuable skill and shared her knowledge with the rest of us. Over a glass of wine and great conversation, we sat and picked crab meat and loved every moment. We developed this recipe, as a small token of our appreciation, to honor Aunt Adela! Learn how to pick blue crab meat.
Aunt Adela’s Cold Georgia Blue Crab Dip
After it had chilled in the refrigerator for a few hours, we carried this Cold Georgia Blue Crab Dip with us, on ice, on a St. Simons Island Dolphin Tour that very night. The dip is slightly sweet, creamy and has just enough punch from the hot sauce to make you want more.
A shrimp boat anchors down near the St. Simons Island pier, surrounded by dolphins, egrets and pelicans—one of the many beautiful sights we saw during the dolphin tour.
It doesn’t get more Southern, coastal, local and in-season than that! What could be better than eating fresh caught wild Georgia blue crab while cruising the Atlantic ocean? I can’t think of too many more perfect scenarios. I can’t wait to cast my crab net again!
Aunt Adela’s Cold Georgia Blue Crab Dip is best served with buttery crackers, such as Club.
Aunt Adela’s Cold Georgia Blue Crab Dip Recipe
Enjoy this crab dip as an appetizer with buttery crackers. This tops the list as one of my most favorite recipes ever.
Serves 8 – 10
INGREDIENTS
1 (8-oz) tub of whipped cream cheese
¼ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup sour cream
1 cup sharp cheddar, freshly grated
Zest of 1 lemon
Juice of half a lemon
2 – 3 tablespoons of Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
A few healthy dashes of hot sauce, such as Tabasco
2 tablespoons of fresh parsley, minced
Salt and pepper to taste
2 cups of fresh picked blue crab meat (from about 9 large crabs)
Club crackers, for serving
In a medium bowl, combine the first 11 ingredients until well blended. Gently fold in the crab meat, stirring to combine. Finish the dip with a few dashes of Old Bay right over the top. Chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or until cold. Serve with buttery crackers. Refrigerate leftovers.
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Rebekah F. Lingenfelser
Food Network Star finalist Rebekah Faulk Lingenfelser is a food enthusiast and writer. Her blog, Some Kinda Good, features Southern, coastal recipes, locally sourced and in-season. A Georgia Southern University alumna, Rebekah also attended Savannah Technical College’s Culinary Institute of Savannah. To learn more, connect with Some Kinda Good on social media, or visit RebekahLingenfelser.com.
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