Preheat the oven to 375ºF.
Remove 4 of the outer leaves of the cabbage and set aside.
Chop 2 strips of the bacon and add to a 12-inch cast iron skillet. Cook the bacon over medium-high heat until crispy. Remove the bacon pieces from the skillet, place on a paper towel and set aside. Reserve the grease in the skillet.
Add the cabbage to the skillet with the reserved bacon grease. Stir in the garlic. Cut the remaining 3 strips of bacon into 1–inch pieces and place evenly on top of the cabbage. Season with salt, pepper and smoked paprika, to taste.
Bake for about 40 minutes or until the cabbage is tender. About 10 minutes before the cabbage is done, add 3 tablespoons of butter on the top of the dish and continue baking.
Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a small skillet over medium heat. Chop the reserved cabbage leaves and add to the skillet. Cook until the leaves are charred about 3 minutes, stirring frequently.
Remove the skillet from the oven and season again, if needed. Sprinkle the charred cabbage and cooked bacon evenly on top. Serve warm.
Tip: Depending on how your oven heats, you may want to move the skillet toward the bottom rack so the cabbage cooks more evenly.
