Pierce film lid several times?

[Miss Inquiry]

Normally when I pop something in the microwave, the instructions tell me to pierce the film lid several times. I never know how many times is several, how long/big the piercings should be.... EVERYTIME I do it I think I could have done it a different way. What is the correct way to do it? 2 stabs with some fork prongs? 10 stabs with a knife? Does anyone know the correct way to do this? I know it's a stupid question but it's bugging me.

[ummmm]

I just stab with a knife about seven times

[chazza]

i just peel the corners up slightly

[warpig1]

I have had exactly the same thought. I stab it five times with a fork but is that then 20 stabs, does one stab with a fork equate to one stab with a knife? I guess my answer is that I don't know the answer, sorry.

[brawburd]

I do 3 or 4 stabs with sharp knife, sometimes if you put too many holes in the plastic seems to fall in on itself and onto the food - think it needs to be able to build some steam underneath to keep it risen. Totally unscientific of course :)

[cameo]

i just stab at it randomly with a fork - depends how stressed i am!!!

[B00]

lol, what an awesome question!!!

i'm with cameo, I do it randomly a couple of times, though I do have to admit to feeling a childish glee when it 'pops' when I do it, almost as satisfying as opening a jar of coffee- the foil bit.

[filthiestfis]

Christ...its not rocket science. Just pop it with a fork twice and thats it. No more needed.

[warpig1]

oh er, thats us lot told, lol.

[B00]

No it's not rocket science- it's a fun harmless question, get a grip filthy!

[warpig1]

Question, pop it with a fork twice, is that eight stabs with a knife or what????

[FoodScientist]

I am a food scientist. I have done some experiments. I tried piercing the lid once with a single pronged fork (1mm diameter), and I also tried piercing 10 times and finally I tried piercing 100 times. This was on a Tesco 400g Roasted Butternut Squash, Spinach and Feta Lasagne. I cooked all three test samples, from chilled, in a 900W microwave oven for the prescribed time of 4 minutes 30 seconds.

In a blind taste test of the heated food, 3 out of 3 subjects (my children) could not tell the difference.

So one tiny hole (to let the steam escape) is enough.