Which cooking method primarily defines white stock?

White stock is primarily defined by the method of simmering bones, which is the correct answer. This cooking technique involves gently cooking raw bones—typically from chicken, veal, or beef—in water, allowing the flavors and nutrients to extract from the bones without coloring the liquid. The key to white stock is that it is made without caramelizing or browning the bones, which distinguishes it from brown stock.

Simmering is done at a low temperature, which helps to clarify the stock and results in a nuanced flavor profile that forms the foundation for many soups, sauces, and other culinary preparations. This method ensures that the stock remains clear and light in color, in line with the desired characteristics of a white stock.

Other cooking methods like roasting, boiling vegetables, or steaming fish do not produce white stock. Roasting involves high heat which browns the ingredients and alters the flavor profile, while boiling vegetables would result in a vegetable stock rather than a white stock. Steaming fish focuses on different ingredients altogether and does not relate to the making of stock. Thus, the technique of simmering bones is the essential method that defines the preparation of white stock.