Preheat the oven to 400°F.

In a small bowl, combine the spices for the Chili Spice Blend. Set it aside. Measure and prepare the ingredients on the Chili and Cornbread Topping ingredient lists.

Begin making the chili: Place a 6-quart Dutch oven or heavy-duty pot on a burner. Add the chopped bacon to the cold pot, then turn the burner to medium-high heat. Cook the bacon until it’s darkened and crispy. Bacon fat should be rendered at the bottom of the pot.

Strain the bacon fat over a large mixing bowl. Pour about half the bacon fat back into the pot. Set the mixing bowl with the other half of the bacon fat aside for the cornbread later. Place the bacon bits back into the pot over medium heat. Add a pinch of salt.

Pour the cooking oil into the pot. Add the jalapeno (labelled “for chili”), cubed sweet potato, and chopped onion to the pot. Add a pinch of salt. Sauté for 3 minutes.

Add minced garlic, ground bison, and a pinch of salt. Use your spoon or spatula to break the bison apart and stir occasionally until the grounds are smaller and browned — 3-4 minutes.

Add the tomatoes, tomato paste, and half the chili spice blend to the pot and stir until the paste coats everything.

Add beef broth, continuing to stir for about one minute. The mixture should thicken and begin to bubble.

Turn the heat to medium-low. Add the drained black, red kidney, and pinto beans. Stir until well-distributed.

Turn off the heat. Add the remaining chili spice blend, chopped cilantro, and the juice of one whole lime to the pot. Mix to combine. Taste the chili and adjust the salt and spices, if desired.

Remove the chili from the heat and set aside while you prepare the cornbread topping.

In a small bowl, combine the dry ingredients: cornmeal, all-purpose flour, white granulated sugar, salt, and baking powder. Whisk for 30 seconds. Set aside.

In the mixing bowl with the bacon fat, whisk together the melted butter, eggs, and buttermilk for 2 minutes. It may look lumpy, which is okay. Add the dry ingredient mixture in thirds, whisking each portion until nearly combined. After the last addition, switch to a silicone spatula. Add the diced jalapeño and the shredded cheese (labelled “for batter”).

Move the chili from the pot to a deep 13x9 casserole dish or 13-inch cast iron skillet, and smooth the top with a spatula. Alternatively, you can use a different vessel, like a set of small cast iron skillets or ramekins. Just be sure to fill them about ¾ of the way each and monitor the bake.

Scoop the cornbread batter over the top of the chili and smooth it to the edges. Top with shredded cheddar (labelled “for topping”) and freshly ground black pepper. Bake for 30 minutes on the center rack. The cornbread will be smooth and browned a couple inches from the edge, and the cheese will begin to crust. You can also measure the center of the cornbread with a meat thermometer, which should read about 205°F.

Remove the baked chili pie from oven and allow to rest on a heat-safe surface for 10 minutes.

Garnish each serving with chopped fresh chives, and top with a large dollop of crème fraiche or Greek yogurt.