From Yankee Magazine, 2011

In 2007, Jerry Buma of Northbridge, Massachusetts was the first New Englander crowned International Chili Society World Champion. He beat out 154 of the best chili cooks from all over the world and took home a cash prize of $25,000. This is his recipe for "home chili". Competition chili "isn't something anyone would want to eat," he explains. It's made just for tasting, not to eat by the bowlful (besides, he'd never give out his prize winning secret recipe.)

Booma's Revenge Chili
Preparation Time: 30 minutes
Start to Finish Time: 2 hours
Yield: 10 servings

Ingredients:

• 3 pounds lean ground beef
• 1½ tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 medium red pepper, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 3 serrano (medium spicy) chiles, minced
• 1 10½ ounce can double-strength beef stock (or 2½ cups beef stock boiled down to 1¼ cups)
• 6 tablespoons chili powder
• 3 tablespoons cumin
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 28-ounce can petite diced tomatoes
• 1 6-ounce can tomato paste
• 1 19-ounce can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained (optional)

In a large (7 quart) heavy-bottomed pot over medium-low heat, cook ground beef, breaking it up with a potato masher until its fully cooked. Then drain and discard most of the rendered fat.

In a separate medium-size sauté pan over medium heat, add oil and cook red pepper, onion, garlic and chiles just until they begin to soften, about 5 minutes. Add cooked vegetable mixture, beef stock, spices, sugar and diced tomatoes to the big pot and simmer 1 hour.

Add tomato paste; stir well and cook another half-hour, stirring occasionally. If you are using beans, stir them in 10 minutes before serving.

Leftover Chili Hot Pocket
Mike Morin August 19, 2011
Makes 4 Hot Pockets

• 1 Pepperidge Farm puff pastry sheet
• 1 cup leftover chili, warmed
• A few chopped onions & shredded cheese (optional)
• 1 egg white

ASSEMBLY INSTRUCTIONS
Heat to 400-degrees

Follow pastry package directions for thawing of dough sheet. When it is still cold but pliable, flatten the sheet on a counter dusted with flour. Cut the sheet into 4 equally-sized portions and separate carefully. Finish your assembly while dough is cold.

Put about one-quarter cup or a bit more leftover chili and optional ingredients onto the center of the pastry. Leave an equal amount of space, about all around the border.

Using a pastry brush or your fingers, brush the outer border with the egg white.

Gently fold the top part over the chili toward you and secure it to the part of the pastry nearest you.

After softly tamping the 3 sides together, use a fork to crimp the sides together. If filling leaks out, you used too much.

Cut two slits in the top of the dough, then egg wash the entire exposed surface.

Put on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.

Bake about 20 minutes or until light brown and fully risen. Garnish with scallions if you like.

View video of Mike Morin creating his Chili Hot Pockets