This Honey Apricot Brisket is slow cooked with caramelized onions in a sweet and savory honey apricot sauce. An easy Rosh Hashanah and Yom Tov main dish.

This Honey Apricot Brisket with Caramelized Onions is the perfect main dish for Rosh Hashanah, Yom Tov, or any special occasion. Tender, flavorful brisket is slow-cooked with deeply caramelized onions and a simple sweet and savory honey apricot sauce.

I’m not typically one to add sweet ingredients to my recipes, particularly when it comes to meat. In fact, my editor called me frantically asking if there was a mistake in this recipe because there’s honey AND apricot jam in it! I laughed and said, “Nope!” I decided to go a little out of my comfort zone with this one—and I’m so glad I did.

This recipe is SO good! And surprisingly, it’s not overly sweet at all. The honey and apricot add just the right amount of sweetness and richness, giving the brisket that buttery, melt-in-your-mouth texture that makes it so good.

It’s one of those recipes that feels special enough for your Yom Tov table but is surprisingly easy to prepare. The long, slow cooking time gives you incredibly tender meat, while the apricot preserves and honey create a rich sauce that pairs perfectly with the savory onions and garlic.

And because brisket is even better when prepared ahead, it’s an ideal make-ahead recipe for the busy Yom Tov season.

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Honey Apricot Brisket with Caramelized Onions

This Honey Apricot Brisket is slow cooked with caramelized onions in a sweet and savory honey apricot sauce. An easy Rosh Hashanah and Yom Tov main dish.

Print Recipe

Ingredients

1 4–5 lb. first-cut brisket*
3 Tbsp olive oil
2 large yellow onions diced
3 cloves garlic minced
¾ cup apricot preserves
¼ cup honey
3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar**
2 tsp salt
1 tsp black pepper

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 200°F.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add the diced onions and cook for approximately 15–20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply golden and caramelized.
Add the minced garlic during the last 2 minutes of cooking.
Add the apricot preserves, honey, and apple cider vinegar to the onions. Stir well until everything is combined and a thick sauce forms.
Place the brisket in a roasting pan and season with the salt and black pepper.
Pour the honey apricot onion sauce evenly over the brisket.
Cover the pan tightly with parchment paper followed by aluminum foil.
Bake for 8–10 hours at 200°F, until the brisket is very tender.
Allow the brisket to cool completely before slicing. For the cleanest slices, refrigerate the brisket for several hours or overnight before slicing.
Slice the brisket against the grain. Reheat it in the sauce before serving.