Cut the bacon strips into squares.
Cut the cabbage in half, cut out the core, and cut the cabbage in large bite-sized chunks.
Heat a very large frying pan over medium high heat. (We used a 14 Inch Frying Pan; use the largest pan you have. Add the bacon and cook, stirring a few times, until all the bacon is browned and crisp, about 6-8 minutes. Remove the bacon to a plate you’ve covered with a double layer of paper towels to drain.
Remove all the bacon fat from the pan except about 1 tablespoon (more or less, according to your preference, but we thought this amount was perfect.) Heat the pan over medium-high heat until the bacon fat is shimmering.
Add the cabbage into the pan and cook 5-6 minutes, turning a few times so the cabbage cooks on all sides.
Add the crisp bacon back into the pan with the cabbage and cook 5-6 minutes more, turning frequently to get the bacon flavor throughout the cabbage and to get the cabbage nicely browned on all sides.
When the cabbage is softened to your liking, season with salt and fresh-ground black pepper to taste. If you’d like a bit of heat, add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
Serve hot. This will keep in the fridge for a day or two and can be reheated in a hot frying pan, but it’s best freshly made.