how long to cook a whole turkey
1 Keep basting the turkey about every 30-40 minutes with the pan juices on the bottom of the pan (removing the foil and re-tenting every time you baste). 2  If you see the juices starting to evaporate then add in more broth to the pan about 2 cups at a time. 3  After about 2-1/2 hours of cooking time remove the foil. Rinse the turkey well with cold water inside and out then pat dry with a paper towel. 2  Place the turkey on a rack on a roasting pan. 3  In a small bowl mix together the melted butter with oil (I also like to add in 1 teaspoon garlic powder with the oil/butter mixture if you are a garlic-lover then use it).