[KnucklHed BBQ]

So I've taken a couple of servsafe classes (few years ago) and passed with 100% both times so I think I remember this correctly...

When addressing cross contamination, we're really only talking about NOT mixing raw meats & juices with other items that either will not be cooked or have already been cooked, right?

More to the point, say I'm cooking pork ribs, chicken and a chuckie. If I use the same knife and cutting board for all 3 meats without washing & rinsing between, there's no problem since they are all going to be cooked to a safe temp.

However, using the same cutting board, not having been washed, to cut up the cooked meat is plain wrong (not to mention gross since it's prolly been hours since used last).

Here's the problem, I've seen on a few occations around here different people make recomendations about "that chicken should be on the rack below the butt to avoid cross contamination... etc."

If both pieces of meat are to be fully cooked to temp before eaten, then where is the problem?

The only time I could see it being an issue is if the butt is minutes from being done and you toss a raw dripping chicken above it... but in all likelyhood, the chicken and butt are put on at different times so that they are finished at the same time, so again probably no problem with the butt coming off much sooner than the chicken has tempd out.

I guess what I'm getting at is that some folks seem to think that when you mix raw chicken juices with raw pork/beef/fish something magical happens and all of a sudden crazy germs & bacteria grow... where are people getting this idea??