Lamb Forequarter Chops

If you’ve ever had a lamb chop that was genuinely worth talking about – thick, juicy, full of flavour, the kind that stains your fingers and makes the whole kitchen smell incredible there’s a good chance it was a forequarter chop.

Lamb Forequarter Chops are the shoulder of the lamb sliced crossways into generous, bone-in chops. They’re the biggest lamb chop you can buy, typically 200–280g each and because the shoulder is one of the animal’s most worked muscles, it’s also one of the most flavourful. The marbling runs right through the meat, the bone adds depth during cooking, and the connective tissue melts away into something almost silky when you give it enough time and heat.

Amelia Park Lamb Forequarter Chops are cut from sheep raised on WA’s coastal pastures in the state’s South West. The climate here is temperate, the pastures are fertile, and our grass-fed and grain-finished program gives every chop consistent marbling and the kind of clean, mellow lamb flavour that keeps people coming back.

Award-winning WA lamb

Amelia Park has taken out Champion WA Lamb and Gold Medals at the Perth Royal Food Awards across multiple consecutive years. These aren’t marketing awards, they’re blind judged by independent panels against all comers. We’ve been farming WA lamb since 1957, and the medals are the external proof of what we already know: this is exceptional lamb.

The Amelia Park Difference

Raised on WA’s coastal pastures: Our sheep graze freely across natural pastures in a temperate climate. No feedlots, no confinement just open country and grass. That foundation shows in the flavour.
Grass-fed and grain-finished: We finish our lambs on locally grown, high-energy grain. This isn’t a shortcut, it’s what gives our lamb its consistent marbling and that slightly richer flavour that pure grass-fed can lack. It’s the combination that wins medals.
Zero added hormones ever: No hormone implants, no growth promotants. Our animals are raised the way they’ve always been raised on this property. What’s on the label is exactly what’s in the pack.
Genuine animal welfare standards: Our farming practices meet world-leading animal welfare benchmarks at every stage. It matters to us, and it shows in the quality of the meat.
100% Western Australian: Paddock to pack, entirely in WA. We’re supporting local farmers, local processors, and local communities and keeping great lamb in the state where it belongs.

Cooking Instructions

Forequarter chops are genuinely hard to ruin, they’ve got enough fat and flavour to handle both high heat and low-and-slow cooking equally well. What makes the difference is resting them properly and knowing your target temperature.

Get a meat thermometer – It’s the single best upgrade you can make

Medium-rare: 62°C (145°F) — still has some pink in the centre, maximum juiciness
Medium: 70°C (160°F) — lightly pink, fully safe, slightly firmer texture
Well done: 75°C+ (167°F+) — fully cooked through better suited to slow cook methods where moisture compensates

BBQ Lamb Forequarter Chops

This is the one. A forequarter chop fresh off the BBQ with a bit of char on the fat cap is hard to improve upon. Total time: about 15–20 minutes.

Pull them from the fridge 20 – 30 minutes before you cook. Room temperature meat cooks evenly. Cold meat doesn’t.
Preheat your BBQ to medium-high – around 200 – 220°C. Brush the grill bars and give them a light oil.
Season generously with salt and cracked black pepper right before they go on. Not 10 minutes before – just before.
Grill 4 – 5 minutes each side for medium-rare (62°C) or 6 – 7 minutes for medium (70°C). Don’t press them down with the tongs, you’re pushing out the juice.
Off the heat, rested loosely under foil for 5 minutes. This is not optional. The juices redistribute during this time and you get a noticeably better chop.

Cooking with a marinade? Scrape off any large garlic pieces or fresh herbs before the chop hits the grill, they burn quickly and go bitter.

Pan-Fried Lamb Forequarter Chops

When you can’t get outside, a screaming-hot cast iron pan is your best friend. Total time: about 15 minutes.

Rest chops at room temperature for 20 minutes.
Get a large heavy-based pan (cast iron if you have it) genuinely hot over high heat. You want it to sizzle loudly the moment the chop goes in.
A quick trick: press the fat cap of the chop against the hot dry pan for 30 seconds first. It renders out and bastes the pan with its own fat – no extra oil needed.
Season just before cooking. Cook 4 – 5 minutes each side for medium-rare (62°C), turning once. Fight the urge to poke and prod.
Rest 5 minutes. While they rest, deglaze the pan with a splash of stock or red wine, scrape up the brown bits, and you’ve got a simple sauce that took 60 seconds.

Slow-Cooked / Braised Lamb Chops

This is what forequarter chops were made for. Low heat, a bit of liquid, a few hours and you end up with something that barely needs a knife. Perfect for winter, perfect for batch cooking. Total time: 2 – 2.5 hours.

Preheat your oven to 160°C (140°C fan). Dust chops lightly in seasoned flour.
Heat olive oil in a heavy casserole dish over high heat and sear the chops 2 minutes each side until properly browned. Don’t rush this step – the colour is the flavour.
Set the chops aside. Soften diced onion, carrot, and celery in the same dish for 3 – 4 minutes.
Return the chops. Add 1 – 1.5 cups of beef or lamb stock, a generous splash of red wine, 2 sprigs of rosemary, and 3 – 4 crushed garlic cloves. It should smell like a restaurant kitchen.
Cover tightly with a lid or foil and put in the oven. Leave it alone for 2 to 2.5 hours.
Rest 10 minutes. Skim any excess fat from the surface of the liquid and serve it as a jus over the chops.

Slow cooker version: do steps 1 – 4 on the stovetop, then transfer everything to your slow cooker. Low for 7 – 8 hours or High for 4 – 5 hours.

Oven tray bake

When you want dinner to essentially make itself. Great for a weeknight when you have 10 minutes of prep but not much else. Total time: about 55 minutes.

Preheat oven to 200°C (180°C fan).
Scatter diced potato, carrot, and onion across a deep roasting tray. Drizzle with olive oil, season, give it a toss.
Rub the chops with a spice mix – smoked paprika, cumin, garlic powder, olive oil, and salt is a favourite. Lay them on top of the vegetables.
Roast uncovered for 35 – 40 minutes, turning the chops halfway. Add cherry tomatoes and chickpeas in the last 15 minutes if you’re feeling it.
Five-minute rest, then serve straight from the tray. One pan to wash.

Ingredients

100% Western Australian Lamb. Nothing else. No artificial additives, no preservatives, no added hormones.

Where to buy

Amelia Park products are widely available across Western Australia. All WA Woolworths stores stock our Beef Burgers, and every Coles and Coles Local carries our marinated butterflied lamb shoulders and legs (located in the lamb section).
You’ll also find a selection of our range at many specialty supermarkets and independent grocers throughout WA, including IGA stores, Good Grocer, Farmer Jacks, Gilbert’s Fresh Market, Bunbury Farmers Market, Herdsman Fresh Market, and premium independent butchers.
Because many of these retailers are independently owned, product availability may vary. We recommend checking with your local store to confirm if they carry Amelia Park products.

Frequently Asked Questions

What actually is a lamb forequarter chop?

It’s the shoulder of the lamb, sliced crossways into generous bone-in chops the biggest lamb chop on the shelf. Because the shoulder works hard, it’s packed with flavour and the kind of connective tissue that melts into something rich and unctuous under slow heat. They’re also the most affordable lamb chop, which is why they’ve been a family dinner staple for generations.

What’s the difference between a forequarter chop and a loin chop?

Forequarter comes from the shoulder bigger, bolder, best value. Loin chops are from the middle back – smaller, more tender, and a step up in price. Cutlets are the premium cut from the rack the ones you’d serve at a dinner party. For a slow braise or a proper BBQ, you want forequarter. For a quick midweek grill, loin chops or cutlets are your move.

What temperature should they reach?

Medium-rare at 62°C (145°F) – a hint of pink in the middle, maximum juiciness. Medium at 70°C (160°F) – lightly pink, fully cooked through. A meat thermometer from the supermarket will give you consistently better results than guessing from colour alone. Get one.

Can I freeze them?

Yes, freeze on the day you buy them and they’ll keep well for up to three months. Thaw in the fridge overnight (never on the kitchen bench), and cook within 24 hours of defrosting. Don’t refreeze once they’ve thawed.

How long do they last in the fridge once opened?

Two to three days, stored in the coldest part of your fridge, usually the bottom shelf at around 0–4°C. If you can see the best-before date on the original packaging, use that as your guide.

Are they really hormone-free?

Yes, completely. No added hormones, no growth promotants, full stop. Our sheep are raised naturally on WA pastures the way they’ve been for over 60 years. Nothing artificial goes into our animals, and nothing artificial ends up in what you’re eating.