In Mexico you’ll find those types of tamales with the name of tamales de picadillo. The recipe might vary from state to state and from family to family, some use guajillo peppers to make the sauce, some uses also tomatoes, while others uses a mix of different dried chilies.
INGREDIENTS
▢3 ½ cups masa harina
▢1 ½ cup lard (or vegetable oil)
▢2 cups beef stock
▢12 corn husks (soaked in hot water for 30 min.)
▢salt (to taste)
For the filling
▢1 lb minced beef
▢½ cup onions (chopped)
▢⅔ cup potatoes (diced)
▢⅔ cup carrots (diced)
▢⅓ cup peas (frozen)
▢½ cup olives (pitted)
▢3 Tbsp vegetable oil
▢4 guajillo peppers (stem and seeds removed)
▢1 clove garlic (peeled)
▢½ tsp black peppercorns
▢½ tsp cumin seeds
▢½ Tbsp oregano
INSTRUCTIONS
Make the sauce
Place guajillo chilies in a bowl and cover with boiling water from 20 to 30 minutes.
Add chilies to a blender with garlic, cumin seeds, peppercorns, and oregano. Add 1 cup of water and blend until smooth.
Strain the sauce through a fine sieve into a bowl and set aside.
Make the filling
Heat the oil in a medium pan, add onion and sauté for 1 minute.
Add meat and cook, breaking it with the back of a spoon, until browned (about 10 minutes).
Add carrots, potatoes, peas and olives. Mix to combine.
Pour over the guajillo sauce and add about 1 teaspoon of salt.
Add 1 1/2 cups of water, mix well and bring to a boil.
Cook for 10 minutes over medium-high heat or until vegetables are almost cooked through.
Set heat to high and allow the liquids to evaporate (about 5 minutes).
Adjust with salt, remove from heat and allow to cool down.
Make the tamales dough
Place lard in a mixer bowl and add 1 tsp of salt. Mix at high until lard will become smooth and puffy (read note 1).
Add masa harina, then set the mixer to the lowest and add beef stock slowly while mixing until both are fully incorporated with the lard.
change the paddles, adjust salt to taste and mix at high for 2 more minutes to achieve an airy dough.