I'm not a test pilot but for the first half of my training I was taught to use the wing down approach. then this became less than fashionable and the crab approach was mandated. anyway I have hands on with both.
the wing down approach is just a side slip. during this you have crossed controls, say left aileron and right rudder. if you stall in this configuration you are in spin city.
in the crab approach you are just offsetting the nose to correct for drift but the controls remain in normal sense. if you stall in this config you just recover ahead with a burst of power.
both techniques work if you are practised.
the crab approach will be far safer if you lose situational awareness and stall or a gust helps you into a stall.
ymmv.