They can be cured

HAMS

Salty, smoked cuts often hung in pairs might end up on your holiday table.

The clue plays on the double meaning of "cured." While it might first suggest something like "healed," it’s actually hinting at foods that undergo curing—like hams, which are preserved through salting, smoking, or drying. The trick is recognizing that "cured" here refers to a food preparation method rather than medical recovery. It’s a classic crossword misdirection where the surface meaning distracts from the simpler, punny answer.